HEALTH

Dementia

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the need to raise awareness of dementia in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities to remove stigma, achieve better understanding and acceptance of the disease and allow better access to service provision.

Norman Lamb: In July 2011, the Department published an equalities action plan for the National Dementia Strategy. Local national health service and social care commissioners should consider the needs of their local population when commissioning services for people with dementia.
	The latest Government dementia campaign, which ran from September 2012 to January 2013, consisted of national television, radio, press and digital advertising supported by public relations. Its objective was to raise awareness of the signs of dementia across all communities, and encourage people to visit their doctor if they are concerned about their memory.

Diabetes: Children

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged up to 18 years in (a) Haltemprice and Howden constituency, (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) England were diagnosed with diabetes in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012.

Anna Soubry: Information is not collected in the format requested. The table shows the number of children up to 18 years newly diagnosed with diabetes in the East Riding of Yorkshire primary care trust (PCT) area, the Yorkshire and Humber strategic health authority (SHA) area and in England in the latest two years for which data is available.
	
		
			 Geographical area 2009-10 2010-11 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 22 18 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 371 409 
			 England 3,258 3,468 
			 Notes: The National Diabetes Audit (NDA), which audits diabetes registrations in primary and secondary care, is not mandatory (NDA does not have 100% coverage or participation and therefore cannot accurately provide the information required). Source: National Diabetes Audit (NDA).

Fertility

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2013, Official Report, column 1138W, on fertility, what progress has been made by clinical commissioning groups on implementing the recommendations of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Fertility Guideline to date; what steps he is taking to encourage further progress on implementation; what mechanisms he is putting in place to monitor future progress; and if he will report the results of such monitoring to the House.

Anna Soubry: We have been advised by NHS England that there is not a separate approach to oversight of the commissioning of NHS fertility services. However, NHS England has general intervention powers in relation to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), should it be satisfied that a CCG is failing or has failed to discharge any of its functions, or there is a significant risk that it will fail to do so. These include directing the CCG to discharge a function in a particular way and within a specified period. NHS England also has powers to require documents and information, and to require from a CCG explanation of how it is proposing to exercise any of its functions. Legislation requires NHS England to publish guidance setting out how it proposes to exercise its intervention powers, so as to ensure that the arrangements are clear and transparent.
	The planning framework 'Everyone Counts' sets out the approach NHS England will take to seek assurance that CCGs deliver improved quality at a time of limited resource growth. Thus, NHS England will receive systemic oversight through assurance by:
	each clinical commissioning group providing confirmation that it has carried out a clinically-led quality impact assessment of all cost improvement schemes undertaken by its providers;
	the use of local metrics and intelligence such as the views of staff and patients, more clinically based tools such as the NHS Safety Thermometer and other resources developed locally to reflect the needs of the local health economy; and
	a line of sight on the clinical assurances that there has been no clinically inappropriate reduction in the availability of local services.

Health Services: Bradford

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many compromise agreements have been made with NHS employers in Bradford since 2000; and what the total cost to the public purse was of those agreements.

Daniel Poulter: This information requested is not held centrally. Such information as is available is as follows.
	From the 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2013, HM Treasury approved eight non-contractual severance payments to employees of Bradford NHS employers, (excluding foundation trusts). All eight cases were for Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust. The value of the approved payments totalled £75,240 in 2009-10.
	Business cases submitted to the Department prior to seeking HM Treasury approval do not include compromise agreements and therefore the use and content of compromise agreements are not routinely monitored. We do not know if any payments were actually paid or if so, at what cost to the public purse. HM Treasury approval is given for the maximum amount payable.
	The procedure requiring the submission of business cases to the Department was introduced from April 2008.

Herbal Medicine: Regulation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made towards developing a framework for statutory regulation of herbalists; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The legislation around this policy is complex and there are a number of issues that have arisen which we need to work through. We appreciate that the delay is causing concern; however, the Department will make an announcement on the progress of this policy once the issues have been resolved.

Maternity Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish statistics on the number of home maternities in each local health authority area in England in 2012.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson
	.
	The number of home maternities by strategic health authority in England will be published in the Characteristics of Birth 2, 2012 release which has a provisional publication date of November/December 2013. The exact release date will be announced at least four weeks before the publication on the UK National Statistics Publication Hub:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html
	Following the release, home maternities by local authority can be requested.
	The latest Characteristics of Birth 2 release is available on the ONS website:
	www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/characteristics-of-birth-2--england-and-wales/index.html

Mental Health Services: Children

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to (a) improve child suicide prevention, (b) tackle depression in children and (c) improve provision for mental health issues arising from bullying; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Children under 18 have the lowest risk of suicide of any age group. However, the risk is higher among some vulnerable groups of teenagers, including those with depression and those who are bullied, and so we identified children in the suicide strategy, which we launched in September 2012, as a group for which tailored approaches are needed.
	The implementation framework of the mental health strategy, published in July 2012, outlines the important role schools and colleges play in relation to health and well-being and that includes addressing bullying.
	The Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies project is transforming Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). It provides training in therapies that have been proven to be effective in treating mental health problems in children, including depression. It focuses on building a more collaborative relationship between children, young people, families and therapists through use of frequent outcome monitoring and extending participation in service design and feedback, extending training to staff and service managers in CAMHS and embedding evidence-based practice across services.

NHS: Apprentices

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many apprentices are employed in the national health service; and what the average wage is of a full-time NHS apprentice.

Daniel Poulter: Data provided by NHS Employers, who collect information on the number of apprentices in the national health service from strategic health authorities, show that as at March 2013 there were 7,894. This data does not include the number of apprentices within the former London strategic health authority who did not provide their data for the reported period.
	The NHS has already seen significant progress in the development of apprenticeships in recent years. Health Education England has an objective in its mandate for 2013-15 to increase the number of health care apprentices and will work with key delivery organisations such as Skills for Health to achieve this.
	Information on the average wages of apprentices in the NHS is not centrally held but wages for apprentices across the sector vary and are subject to local pay decisions.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many compromise agreements have been made in the NHS since 2000; and what the total cost to the public purse has been of such agreements.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is not held centrally. Such information as is available is as follows.
	From 2008-09, all national health service bodies other than foundation trusts were required to submit business cases proposing non-contractual severance payments to the Department. Where these were supported by the Department they were sent to Her Majesty's Treasury for approval. Such payments may be made under a compromise agreement. However, neither the Department nor HM Treasury had sight of any compromise agreements, where used, as they are confidential between the employer and employee and do not form part of the business case.
	From 1 April 2013 NHS trusts are required to send business cases to the NHS Trust Development Authority, and clinical commissioning groups are required to send cases to NHS England before HM Treasury approval is sought.
	
		
			 Data on the number of business cases and value of approvals for non-contractual payments by HM Treasury 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			  Number Value (£) Number Value (£) Number Value (£) 
			 NHS trusts 101 3,349,052 71 1,281,294 20 281,673 
			 Special health authorities 13 154,053 9 271,900 2 57,214 
			 Strategic health authorities 3 801,223 3 199,985 3 35,791 
			 Primary care trusts 75 1,686,176 47 737,789 10 133,496 
			 Total 192 5,990,504 130 2,490,968 35 508,174 
		
	
	
		
			  2011-12 2012-13 Total 
			  Number Value (£) Number Value (£) Number Value (£) 
			 NHS trusts 20 537,267 8 95,939 220 5,545,225 
			 Special health authorities 6 172,793 6 84,747 36 483,167 
			 Strategic health authorities 0 0 0 0 9 1,294,539 
			 Primary care trusts 12 328,846 0 0 144 2,886,307 
			 Total 38 1,038,906 14 180,686 409 10,209,238 
			 Notes: 1. The above data do not include foundation trusts. From May 2008 foundation trusts have been required to submit business cases to Monitor before HM Treasury approval is sought. 2. The above data do not include payments made under local mutually agreed resignation schemes (MARS). 3. A business case may cover more than one individual. 4. The values shown are the maximum amounts approved by HM Treasury for payment. The actual payment may be less than the approved value or may not be made at all depending on the outcome of subsequent negotiations between the parties. The approved value and/or payment could also contain some contractual elements. Source: Business cases submitted to the Department and approved by HM Treasury

Patients

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the recommended maximum number of patients is per individual nurse ration on a general adult ward.

Daniel Poulter: It is not appropriate for the Department to mandate nurse to patient ratios. Local health care organisations, with their knowledge of the patients they serve, are best placed to plan and employ a workforce appropriate to the needs of their patients, based on clinical need and sound evidence. Where changes are planned to the size and shape of the workforce, health care organisations must provide assurance that the safety and quality of patient care is maintained or improved. The process should include clinical involvement, leadership and sign off.
	Commissioners of services will want to know that their workforce is fit to support the quality of care they want for patients and we are expecting boards who provide services to publish their staffing numbers for the first time this year.
	The NHS Mandate makes it clear that quality of care is as important as quality of treatment. Nursing leaders must ensure that their teams are focused on delivering person-centred, intelligent and compassionate care where the patient's fundamental requirements for daily living have the priority they deserve.

EDUCATION

Education: Assessments

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many readers were used in public examinations to help pupils in the latest period for which figures are available; and which other organisations hold such information.

Elizabeth Truss: Information on applications for the use of readers in public examinations, along with other access arrangements granted to support GCSE and A level examination candidates, is not held by the Department. This information is collated by the qualifications and examinations regulator, Ofqual.
	I have asked Glenys Stacey, Ofqual's chief regulator, to write to my hon. Friend with such information relevant to the question as Ofqual holds. A copy of Glenys Stacey's reply will be placed in the Library.

Education: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the statement of 4 June 2013, Official Report, columns 89-90WS, on school funding reforms, how this change will affect the education budget for Cumbria County Council.

David Laws: The arrangements for funding schools in 2014-15 will not affect the overall education budget which the Department allocates to local authorities, including Cumbria County Council.
	The new arrangements build on the reforms we made in 2013-14 which sought to simplify the school funding system. Following the Department’s review of the 2013-14 arrangements, we are making a number of small changes which will give local authorities some additional flexibility to, for example, support small schools in rural areas.

GCSE

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the answer of 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1190W, on GCSE, whether those results data can be further disaggregated by ethnicity from the broad categories of ethnicity listed.

David Laws: The requested information has been placed in the House Libraries.

Pupil Exclusions: Health

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to prevent children being excluded from school solely on the grounds that they have (a) diabetes or (b) other health conditions.

Elizabeth Truss: It is totally unacceptable for any school to exclude a child purely on the basis of the fact that they have diabetes or another health condition.
	Schools are under a specific duty through the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against disabled children in relation to their access to education and associated services. The Equality Act 2010 states that children with additional health needs may be classified as disabled for the purposes of the Act. Schools are also under an obligation to ensure that children with health conditions are not put at a substantial disadvantage.
	Schools should be aware of their responsibilities in this respect and mindful of the potential to be legally challenged by parents or pupils if it is shown that they have contravened their duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010. In addition, cases that are brought to the Department’s attention will be dealt with appropriately and, if necessary, through the Secretary of State’s powers of intervention.

Schools: Birmingham

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many surplus places there were in (a) secondary and (b) primary schools in the Birmingham local authority area in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013 to date.

David Laws: The Department collects information from each local authority (LA) on the number of available and unfilled places in state-funded primary and secondary schools (except special schools) via the annual School Capacity Collection. The tables below show the number of unfilled places in secondary and primary schools in Birmingham between 2010 and 2012. Data for 2013 are not available.
	
		
			 Unfilled places in state-funded secondary schools, Birmingham LA 
			  Unfilled places 
			  2010(1) 2011 2012 
			 Total 2,783 4,827 5,184 
			 (1) 2010 data does not include unfilled places in academies. Note: Number of places relate to position as at May in each year. Source: School Capacity Collection 
		
	
	
		
			 Unfilled places in state-funded primary schools, Birmingham LA 
			  Unfilled places 
			  2010(1) 2011 2012 
			 Total 7,875 7,635 10,534 
			 (1) 2010 data does not include unfilled places in academies. Note: Number of places relate to position as at May in each year. Source: School Capacity Collection 
		
	
	Birmingham LA has increased school capacity between 2010 and 2012 in response to a rising primary population, which is expected to continue to increase over the next few years. The LA has been allocated £61.46 million basic need funding to support the provision of additional school places in this spending review period (2011/12 to 2014/15). This compares with £45.03 million allocated in the previous four years (2007/8 to 2010/11).

Schools: Finance

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the statement of 4 June 2013, Official Report, columns 89-90WS, on school funding reforms, what discussions he has had with stakeholders to inform this policy.

David Laws: On 12 February 2013, the Department for Education published ‘Review of School Funding Arrangements for 2013-14’ which sought views on how the new school funding arrangements have been received across the country and whether changes should be made for 2014-15.
	Officials from the Department also undertook fieldwork visits to 11 local authorities (including Cumbria) where they spoke to local authority representatives, head teachers and governors. Officials have also held ongoing discussions about reforms to school funding with representatives from local authorities, academies, maintained schools and the main teaching trade unions.
	Over recent months, I have had meetings with around 10 Members of Parliament to discuss how the school funding reforms have affected schools in their constituencies. This included a meeting with the hon. Members and councillors representing Cumbria county council.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Homicide

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic violence-related homicides were committed in England and Wales in 2012.

Jeremy Browne: The available information relates to crimes recorded by the police on the Homicide Index in England and Wales in 2011-12.
	The ONS publication “Focus on Violent Crime and Sexual Offences”:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/focus-on-violent-crime/stb-focus-on--violent-crime-and-sexual-offences-2011-12.html
	provides figures on the number of homicides where the victim's relationship to the principal suspect was partner or ex-partner. In 2011-12, 105 such homicides were recorded.

Misuse of Drugs Ministerial Group

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 695W, on Misuse of Drugs Ministerial Group, if she will provide the link to the Cabinet Office webpage on which the details of meetings of the Inter-ministerial Group on Drugs are published and indicate the location of that information on that webpage.

Jeremy Browne: Further to the answer I gave on 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 695W, I can inform you that the details of meetings requested are not available on the Cabinet Office website; the Cabinet Office website only gives the details of external meetings and not internal meetings like the Inter-Ministerial Group on Drugs. I would like to apologise for this inaccuracy.
	I can confirm that the Inter-Ministerial Group on Drugs met on the following occasions:
	14 March 2012
	8 May 2012
	13 June 2012
	12 November 2012
	10 January 2013
	30 April 2013.
	As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to publish details of such meetings.

Police Custody: Death

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on investigations by the Independent Police Complaints Commission on cases relating to deaths during or following police contact in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: The Home Office does not hold this information.

Police Custody: Death

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of legal representation of the Government at inquests into all cases relating to deaths during or following police contact in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: holding answer 12 June 2013
	The Home Office has made no such estimate.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department receives any financial or non-financial benefit from its telephone providers for telephone lines that (a) her Department and (b) the agencies for which she is responsible operate, including but not limited to (i) a share of call revenue, (ii) a reduction in the Department's telephone bill or tariff and (iii) telephony services for free or at a reduced price.

James Brokenshire: The Department and its agencies:
	(i) have no revenue sharing arrangements on any of their telephony services.
	(ii) receive a volume based discounted tariff on internal audio conferencing services based on minutes used per month. These volumes are aggregated across core Home Office (incl. ex UKBA) and Her Majesty's Passport Office.
	(iii) do not receive any other free or reduced rate telephony services.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Business Committee

Michael Meacher: To ask the Leader of the House with reference to page 27 of the Coalition Agreement, when he plans to bring forward proposals for a House Business Committee.

Andrew Lansley: I explained to the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee in my evidence on 16 May that I have not yet been able to find a basis on which to bring forward a workable proposal for a House Business Committee. The Government will consider the recommendations of that Committee in due course.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Green Belt

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether the effect upon agriculture, including the need for food security, is a factor to be considered when an application is made to remove a greenbelt designation from agricultural land;
	(2)  whether the decision-making process to remove a greenbelt designation is required to include a formal consultation with the (a) local community and (b) local authority.

Nicholas Boles: holding answer 13 June 2013
	I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to him of 11 June 2013, Official Report, column 222W.

Information Officers

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) press officers, (b) internal communications officers, (c) external communications officers, (d) communications strategy staff and (e) any other communications staff were employed by his Department in 2012-13; and what the total cost of their salaries and any on-costs was in that period.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 6 June 2013
	Since May 2010, my Department has made significant savings from the consolidation of communications spending, as part of our wider agenda of delivering a smaller and more effective Department.
	Including the Government offices for the regions, the Department for Communities and Local Government had 95 communications staff in 2009 (source: Central Office of Information, ‘White Book’, March 2009). There were a further eight “embedded communicators” staff members who were not listed in the White Book (as stated at 5 February 2010, Official Report, column 632W), bringing the total to 103.
	By contrast, as at 31 March 2013 there are 44 staff working in communication roles (42.6 full-time equivalent posts) in the Department; the Government offices for the regions have been abolished completely. This represents a reduction in communications staffing of 57%.
	This equates to as follows:
	(a) Press office staff: 18.3
	(b) Internal communications staff: 4.8
	(c) External communications (marketing) staff: 3.6
	(d) Communications strategy staff: 4
	(e) Other communications (digital, corporate and senior management) staff: 11.8.
	The Department does not allocate ‘on costs’ on a Directorate or employee basis. The total cost of salaries for the 42.6 full-time equivalent staff for 2012-13 amounted to £2.5 million. This compares with (extrapolated) estimates for the 103 staff in 2009-10 of £4.5 million—thus representing a yearly saving of £2 million in cash terms (and more in real terms).
	The last Administration also frequently used taxpayers' money to pay for external public relations agencies, on top of its 103 in-house communications staff, spending a further £1.1 million in 2009-10 (source: DCLG, ‘Communication directorate: Marketing expenditure report 2009-10’). We do not see the need for using such external public relations firms—thus saving a further £1.1 million in cash terms.
	The last Administration was also spending £299,229 a year on press cuttings in 2009-10; as outlined in our answer of 22 March 2012, Official Report, column 832W, we have cut this to a quarter of that.
	The last Administration also wasted taxpayers' money on vanity marketing. They spent £22,000 of taxpayers' money on home information packs branding; £21,090 on Homebuy scheme branding; £15,000 on branding the Sustainable Communities summit (subsequently cancelled); £10,000 on branding the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit quango; £25,000 on Community Builders branding; £7,260 on Code for Sustainable Homes branding; £33,400 on Cleaner Safer Greener Communities branding; £3,520 on re-branding Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services as the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser; £3,830 on a logo for the Department and Communities and Local Government followed by spending £24,765 on renaming it Communities and Local Government; and £1,371 on re-branding the ‘Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’ to the ‘Deputy Prime Minister's Office’.
	Across the board, under this Government, the DCLG Group is making a 41% real terms saving against its running costs over this spending review period by 2014-15. This equates to savings of at least £532 million by 2014-15.

Local Government: Billing

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking against late payment of invoices by local authorities.

Brandon Lewis: Small and medium businesses are an essential part of local economies, and rely on prompt payments for survival. The Government is therefore taking steps to tackle instances of late payment across the whole public sector, not just by local authorities. We recently amended the law to introduce a statutory obligation for public authorities to pay invoices in 30 days.
	Many local authorities already have prompt payment clauses in their contracts, and the winners of the recent 'Best councils to do business with' contest showed examples of this working throughout the supply chain. We are working with BIS to raise further awareness of this best practice and the impact of the Late Payment Directive, and we will be taking forward the recommendations in Lord Young's report to create a 'single market' in public sector procurement.

Outdoor Advertising: Broadband

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he has issued to local authorities on commercial advertising being placed on broadband cabinets without planning consent; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of powers available to local authorities to prosecute those who place advertising in that way.

Nicholas Boles: I published a letter on 11 February 2013 setting out the Government's view on commercial advertising on broadband cabinets, and placed a copy in the Library of the House. The letter is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advertising-on-broadband-cabinets-ministerial-letter
	In summary, the Government's view is that there are no deemed consent provisions in the Town and County Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended) that would, in our opinion, apply for the purpose of commercial advertising on broadband boxes. Therefore our view is that advertisements should only be placed on broadband boxes with the permission of the local planning authority.
	Local authorities have a range of relevant enforcement powers. Circular 03/2007 on the Control of Advertisements Regulations contains guidance on the enforcement options available to local authorities including applying to the Courts for a decision on a particular case.
	I understand that BT was recently fined by Bridgend magistrates court (a £500 fine and a requirement to pay £800 costs) for breach of these regulations following local authority enforcement.

Renewable Energy: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he plans to call in the planning proposals by Peterborough City Council for a renewable energy park east of Peterborough; and if he will make a statement.

Nicholas Boles: The proposals for a renewable energy park are split into three separate planning applications, the first of which, Morris Fen, is due before Peterborough city council's planning committee on 17 June. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), has received a number of requests to call-in the three applications for his own determination, and should Peterborough council be minded to approve them, the Secretary of State will carefully consider this case against call-in policy, as set out in the written ministerial statement on 26 October 2012, Official Report, columns 71-72WS. In the meantime, it would be inappropriate to comment on the detail of the applications, while considerations are still ongoing.

TREASURY

Accountancy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will initiate an inquiry into the advice given and sold by the big four accountancy firms.

Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	No, this is a matter which the independent competition authorities are taking forward. The Office of Fair Trading, under sections 131 and 133 of the Enterprise Act 2002, on 21 October 2011 referred the market for statutory audit services to the Competition Commission (CC). The CC published its summary of provisional findings on 22 February 2013, and on 5 June 2013 issued a notice of a Further Possible Remedy under Rule 11 of its rules of procedure. These can be viewed at:
	http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/our-work/statutory-audit-services/provisional-findings-report

Domestic Visits

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times he has visited (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity since May 2010.

Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers' official duties entail visits throughout the United Kingdom. As was the case with previous Administrations it is not normal practice to disclose details of such visits.

Fuels: Tax Evasion

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the working relationship between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and HM Revenue and Customs in tackling oil fraud in Northern Ireland.

Sajid Javid: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is an active member of the Northern Ireland Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) and works closely with its partner agencies in the OCTF, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), to tackle a range of organised crime, including fuel fraud.
	HMRC chairs the Cross Border Fuel Group which includes: (a) from Northern Ireland, representatives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Serious Organised Crime Agency and Department of Justice and (b) from the Republic of Ireland, The Revenue Commissioners, An Garda Siochana, Criminal Assets Bureau and the Department of the Environment. This group meets quarterly to discuss strategic issues relating to tackling fuel fraud. However, the agencies work together on operational matters on an ongoing basis.
	HMRC in Northern Ireland has an excellent working relationship with the PSNI. The PSNI regularly provide support for HMRC operations. In the 2012-13 year, HMRC detected 22 fuel laundering plants. The PSNI routinely assisted HMRC Officers during these operations and continue to be present on site when laundering plants are dismantled.

Income Tax: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials of his Department are engaged on the project to implement the Scottish rate of income tax.

David Gauke: The estimated HMRC project costs for 2013-14 equate to around 11 full-time staff. However this draws on the expertise of over 75 HMRC staff and includes contributions from individuals on specific technical issues as part of their full-time duties.

Income Tax: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1239W, on income tax: Scotland, how many pensioners in each parliamentary constituency in Scotland pay income tax at (a) the highest rate or (b) the additional rate.

David Gauke: Data on the number of (a) higher and (b) additional rate taxpayers above state pension age at parliamentary constituency level are not published, due to small sample sizes.

Income Tax: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2013, Official Report, column 1167W, on income tax: Scotland, what steps he has taken to control the costs of the implementation of the Scottish rate of income tax.

David Gauke: Work to implement the Scottish rate is being managed by HMRC's implementation project. Board members, including the Scottish Government, Scotland Office and HM Treasury are involved in decision making to ensure that the project provides effective solutions and value for money. A Memorandum of Understanding between HMRC and the Scottish Government sets out arrangements for implementing the Scottish rate including how HMRC will ensure that its expenditure represents value for money. The Memorandum was published on the HMRC and Scottish Government's websites.

Income Tax: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2013, Official Report, column 1167W, on income tax: Scotland, when he expects to be able to report a revised estimate of the costs of implementation of the Scottish rate of income tax.

David Gauke: HMRC expects to be able to provide a more accurate estimate of the operational cost of implementing the Scottish rate of income tax later in 2013-14 when the planned work on designing the process for identifying Scottish taxpayers is undertaken. Detailed work on the implementation of the IT changes will begin in 2014; a more accurate estimate of these costs is expected to be available during 2014-15.

PAYE

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of implementing PAYE Real Time Information;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the cost of implementing PAYE Real Time Information.

David Gauke: The latest version of the full business case for PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) shows a cost to Government of £273.84 million for the spending review period to March 2015.

Revenue and Customs

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of telephone calls to HM Revenue and Customs have been unanswered in (a) the first quarter of 2013 and (b) 2013-14 to date;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of letters to HM Revenue and Customs have remained unanswered in (a) the first quarter of 2013 and (b) 2013-14 to date.

David Gauke: HMRC does not count letters separately from other incoming post such as certain forms, faxes and email.
	HMRC periodically publishes performance statistics which include:
	the proportion of telephone calls handled in total and by line of business; and
	the number and proportion of post items (including letters) to HMRC from customers which remained unanswered at the end of each quarter
	at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/bus-plan-qds.htm
	And now at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-plan-indicators
	HMRC plan to publish 2012-13 quarter 4 figures at the end of June 2013, and the quarter 1 results for 2013-14 in August 2013.

Revenue and Customs: Nurseries

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effect on parents and children who use the nursery school on the HM Revenue and Customs site at Waterview Park, Washington, of a closure of the school.

David Gauke: HMRC wrote to affected parents on 7 May, inviting them to face-to-face consultations about what the impact of not re-tendering the nursery provision in three sites in the North East (Waterview Park, Benton Park View and Tyne View Park) would be on them.
	Face-to-face consultation meetings were held in all three sites and parents and interested parties were invited to attend and offer their views. These impacts were noted down throughout the meetings.
	A dedicated mailbox was also set up to allow parents to e-mail their questions and feedback directly. This has been monitored daily and every e-mail has been responded to.
	Parents submitted a range of views. A summary of this feedback was shared with all affected parents on 10 June. This summary and a People Impact Assessment forms part of a decision paper that will be discussed by HMRC's Executive Committee on 18 June.
	The impact assessments will also be used to put together a support package for parents, similar to that made available in 2012, which will be used if the decision is not to re-tender for the nursery provision in these three sites.

Revenue and Customs: Nurseries

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on parents and children who used nursery schools on HM Revenue and Customs sites which have recently been closed.

David Gauke: In 2012, HMRC announced the closure of eight nurseries that were on HMRC premises. These nurseries had varying levels of occupancy and many of the nursery places were available to non-HMRC staff.
	Following the announcement, HMRC put in place a series of support measures for affected parents. This included some short-term financial support, flexible working and special leave to give them time to find alternative arrangements. Members of HMRC's HR support were also on hand to support parents with agreeing what measures they needed to make use of.
	The take up of these measures varied. In some cases parents found alternative nursery provision very easily and did not approach HMRC for additional support. In others they needed some support to do so.
	Six of the nurseries closed in November 2012 and HMRC has not received any further requests for help from affected parents. Two nurseries, East Kilbride and Cardiff, were given a commercial lease and will continue until August 2015. These two nurseries were granted these leases as over 50% of those using them worked for HMRC. Both the nursery provider and the parents are aware of this arrangement.

Unpaid Taxes: Football

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many English and Welsh football teams with an up-to-date arrangement with HM Revenue and Customs to pay by instalments their PAYE and national insurance contribution (NIC) deductions have not paid fully their PAYE or NIC deductions in tax year (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14 to date;
	(2)  what sums in PAYE and national insurance contributions remain unpaid by football clubs who are members of the FA Premier League and the Football League in respect of the tax year ended 5 April (a) 2013 and (b) 2014; and what sums are outstanding in cases where clubs (i) have not yet been contacted by the local tax office or debt management office, (ii) are working with the local tax or debt management office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or are having the case forwarded to an enforcement office, (iii) are working with an enforcement office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or are having the case forwarded to the solicitor's office and (iv) have had their case forwarded to the solicitor's office for action in the High Court;
	(3)  how many football clubs who are members of the FA Premier League and the Football League have not fully paid PAYE and national insurance contributions due in respect of the tax year ended 5 April (a) 2013 and (b) 2014; and how many such clubs (i) have not yet been contacted by the local tax office or debt management office, (ii) are working with the local tax or debt management office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or are having the case forwarded to an enforcement office, (iii) are working with an enforcement office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or are having the case forwarded to the solicitor's office and (iv) have had their case forwarded to the solicitor's office for action in the High Court.

David Gauke: There are fewer than five English and Welsh football clubs that have an up-to-date arrangement with HMRC covering their PAYE or NIC deductions for either of the tax years (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14 to date. In view of the small number involved, HMRC is not able to disclose the actual number of clubs, as to do so would breach statistical standards that protect the confidentiality of information relating to HMRC's customers.
	HMRC is not able to disclose the sum of PAYE and national insurance contributions remaining unpaid by FA Premier League and Football League clubs for the tax year ended 5 April 2013, as to do so would breach statistical standards that protect the confidentiality of information relating to HMRC's customers.
	The sum of PAYE and national insurance contributions remaining unpaid by FA Premier League and Football League clubs for the current tax year is £1,025,731.
	HMRC is not able to disclose the sums outstanding in cases where clubs have not yet been contacted by the debt management office, as to do so would breach statistical standards that protect the confidentiality of information relating to HMRC's customers.
	HMRC is not able to disclose the sums outstanding in respect of cases that are working with the debt management office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or are having the case forwarded to an enforcement office, as to do so would breach statistical standards that protect the confidentiality of information relating to HMRC's customers.
	HMRC is not able to disclose the sums outstanding in cases that are working with an enforcement office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or are having the case forwarded to the solicitor's office, as to do so would breach statistical standards that protect the confidentiality of information relating to HMRC's customers.
	HMRC is not able to disclose the sums outstanding in cases that have been forwarded to the solicitor's office for action in the High Court, as to do so would breach statistical standards that protect the confidentiality of information relating to HMRC's customers.
	There are fewer than five Premier League and Football League clubs that have not fully paid PAYE and national insurance contributions due in respect of the tax year ended 5 April 2013. There are nine Premier League and Football League clubs that have not fully paid PAYE and national insurance contributions due in respect of the current tax year. And of those clubs:
	There are fewer than five clubs that have not yet been contacted by the debt management office.
	There are nine clubs that are working with the debt management office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or the case is being forwarded to an enforcement office.
	There are fewer than five clubs that are with an enforcement office and are either subject to an arrangement to pay or the case is being forwarded to the solicitor's office.
	There are fewer than five clubs that have had their case forwarded to the solicitor's office for action in the High Court.
	Where there are small numbers involved, HMRC is not able to disclose the actual number of clubs, as to do so would breach statistical standards that protect the confidentiality of information relating to HMRC's customers.

Welfare Tax Credits

Hilary Benn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for tax credits are being appealed; and what the average waiting time for an appeal to be (a) heard and (b) concluded was in each of the last two years.

Sajid Javid: In 2011-12 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) received 24,001 tax credit appeals, and in 2012-13 received 23,745 appeals.
	Figures for appeal waiting times, hearings and conclusions are provided by HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). HMCTS split tax credits into working tax credits and child tax credits and their figures are:
	
		
			 Working tax credit appeals 
			    Weeks 
			 Period Number of receipts Total disposals (number) Average time receipt to first hearing Average time receipt to outcome 
			 2010-11 356 295 15.0 14.6 
			 2011-12 790 782 16.1 14.7 
			 April to December 2012(1) 400 472 17.2 18.4 
		
	
	
		
			 Child tax credit appeals in Britain 
			    Weeks 
			 Period Number of receipts Total disposals (number) Average time receipt to first hearing Average time receipt to outcome 
			 2010-11 2,672 2,497 15.4 15.5 
			 2011-12 3,499 3,606 18.8 18.8 
			 April to December 2012(1) 1,730 2,133 22.6 23.5 
			 Data for April to December 2012 are provisional. 
		
	
	The number of appellants opting for an oral hearing increased from 26% in 2011-12 to 50% in the first nine months of 2012. This has led to an increase in the average time to dispose of appeals because in addition to the time taken for the tribunal to consider written evidence, time is needed for oral evidence to be given, for any follow-up questioning, and for that evidence to be considered by the tribunal alongside the written evidence.

World Environment Day

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department took to mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2013.

Sajid Javid: HM Treasury did not take specific steps to mark World Environment Day. As set out in the Annual Report and Accounts, the Treasury takes a range of measures to reduce its environmental impact, raise awareness of environmental issues amongst staff, and co-ordinate its consideration in policy development.

JUSTICE

Autism

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what procedures are in place to ensure that training in autism is available to all staff in the criminal justice system.

Helen Grant: Disability and diversity guidance and training, including on learning disabilities, is available for staff of the Ministry of Justice.
	Autism training, including for criminal justice system staff, is currently being looked as part of the review of the 2010 Autism strategy 'Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives', being led by the Department of Health, and my Department is contributing to this work.

Immigrants: Detainees

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for immigration bail were heard by an immigration judge in each of the last five years; and in how many such cases applicants received legal aid.

Jeremy Wright: In each of the last five years judges of the First-tier and Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) have heard the following number of bail applications:
	
		
			 Bail application hearings 
			 Calendar year Number 
			 2008 9,294 
			 2009 10,077 
			 2010 9,873 
			 2011 10,228 
			 2012 10,650 
		
	
	These figures do not represent the number of appellants applying for bail, as the same appellant may apply for bail on multiple occasions. These figures also exclude bail renewals, variations and forfeitures.
	The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) does not hold information on which of the applications set out in the table received legal aid. In such cases providers assist clients directly, and the LAA does not hold records of applications.

Legal Aid Scheme

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential effect of his planned changes to legal aid on client choice.

Jeremy Wright: Between 9 April and 4 June 2013 the Government consulted on a number of proposals to reform legal aid via the ‘Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system’ consultation. This included a proposed model of competitive tendering for criminal legal aid services. We have been clear we must continue to bear down on the cost of legal aid, including the £1 billion of taxpayers' money spent on criminal legal aid a year, to ensure we are getting the best deal for the taxpayer.
	An assessment of the potential effect that proposals to reform legal aid would have on client choice was published in the impact assessment alongside the ‘Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system’ consultation.

Legal Aid Scheme

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will meet the Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association to discuss proposals to reform the legal aid system; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: Between 9 April and 4 June 2013 the Government consulted on a number of proposals to reform legal aid via the ‘Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system’ consultation. This included a proposed model of competitive tendering for criminal legal aid services. We have been clear we must continue to bear down on the cost of legal aid, including the £1 billion of taxpayers' money spent on criminal legal aid a year, to ensure we are getting the best deal for the taxpayer.
	During the consultation the ministerial team and officials met with many stakeholders, and I refer the hon. Gentleman to the parliamentary question (158068) asked by the right hon. Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz), for a full breakdown of those meetings. It states that Lord McNally met with the Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association on 30 May 2013 for 45 minutes, along with a senior civil servant and a representative from the Legal Aid Agency (LAA).
	This consultation has now closed and my officials and I will be considering the responses, including the response received from the Criminal Bar Association, with a view to publishing the Government response in the autumn.

CABINET OFFICE

Buildings

Margaret Curran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department has spent from the public purse on modernisation of buildings that are part of the Cabinet Office estate in each of the last three years.

Chloe Smith: This Government has taken a determined approach to cutting its expenditure on property to address the wasteful situation it inherited at the time of the last election where millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money were spent on unnecessary and under-occupied buildings. These efforts to consolidate and slim down the property estate ensured savings of £620 million last year alone and contributed to the £10 billion of savings made from efficiency and reform last year.
	The Cabinet Office is leading by example. Our strategy for London is to consolidate as far as possible into its core freehold buildings. To achieve this the Cabinet Office is co-locating with HM Treasury at 1 Horse Guards Road. In addition the Department has vacated 22-26 Whitehall (which have been re-used by the Department for International Development) and Admiralty Arch. A long lease is being sold on the arch to allow for future use as an hotel. This will enable public access and provide a capital sum of £60 million. The Cabinet Office's main building at 70 Whitehall is being modernised under a programme which began in 2008-09.
	Information on capital expenditure on modernisation of the Cabinet Office's buildings is published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.

Cabinet Committees

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish a list of Cabinet committees currently in operation; and what the membership is of each such committee.

Oliver Letwin: The list of Cabinet committees and sub-committees and their members is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-cabinet-committees-system-and-list-of-cabinet-committees

Electronic Surveillance

Julian Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess the consequences for the cyber security of UK companies and individuals of the US Prism programme.

Chloe Smith: I refer to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 10 June 2013, Official Report, columns 31-43.

Employment: Lincolnshire

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion and how many of those employed in North-East Lincolnshire were employed in the public sector in each year since 2007.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion and how many of those employed in North-East Lincolnshire were employed in the public sector in each year since 2007 (159929).
	The ONS compiles Labour Market Statistics for areas below the UK following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions using the Annual Population Survey (APS).
	Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. The public sector estimates provided do not correspond to those derived as part of the calculation of the official Public Sector Employment estimates. These are based on a National Accounts' definition, are generally lower and are not available for areas smaller then regions.
	The table shows the proportion and number of people employed in the public sector in North East Lincolnshire. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the period January 2012 to December 2012, the latest period available, and the 12 month periods ending in December in each year since 2007.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Proportion and number of people employed in the public sector(1) in North East Lincolnshire 
			  Public sector employment 
			 12 months ending December: Number (Thousand) Proportion of people in employment (%) 
			 2007 13 17.7 
			 2008 14 20.4 
			 2009 15 21.4 
			 2010 16 23.4 
			 2011 15 21.9 
			 2012(2) **14 20.6 
			 (1) Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key: * 0 ≤ CV <5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 ≤ CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 ≤ CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes Source: Annual Population Survey

Employment: Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the net change in the number of private sector jobs in (a) North Swindon constituency and (b) Swindon Borough was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the net change in the number of private sector jobs in (a) North Swindon constituency and (b) Swindon Borough was in the latest period for which figures are available. (159389)
	Information regarding the number of private sector jobs for parliamentary constituencies is not available. As an alternative, estimates relating to the number of people employed in the private sector have been provided. Employment statistics for local areas are calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
	Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. The private sector estimates provided do not correspond to those derived as part of the calculation of the official Public Sector Employment estimates. These are based on a National Accounts' definition, are generally higher and are not available for areas smaller then regions.
	The table shows the number and net change of people employed in the private sector in North Swindon constituency and Swindon. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the period January 2012 to December 2012, the latest period available, and the 12 month period ending in December 2011.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Net change in the number of people employed in the private sector(1) in North Swindon constituency and Swindon 
			 Thousand 
			 12 months ending: North Swindon constituency Swindon 
			 December 2011 45 80 
			 December 2012(2) **41 **80 
			 Net Change -4 0 
			 (1) Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, See Guide to Quality. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key: * 0 ≤ CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 ≤ CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 ≤ CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation Source: Annual Population Survey

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2013, Official Report, column 343W, on the High Speed 2 railway line, and consequent on the Information Commissioner's decision on publication of the Major Projects Authority Report into High Speed 2, when he plans to place in the Library a copy of the report.

Chloe Smith: We are reviewing the Information Commissioner's decision but in the meantime the MPA Annual Report can be accessed here:
	http://engage.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/major-projects-authority
	A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
	The Department for Transport has published more detailed information on HS2 which can be accessed here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-major-projects-portfolio-data-for-dft-2013

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Hunger and Nutrition

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development What work her Department is undertaking in respect of hunger and nutrition in developing countries.

Justine Greening: Our existing nutrition programmes will reach 20 million pregnant women and children under five by 2015 and ensure another 4 million people have enough available food by 2015.
	The ‘Nutrition for Growth' event on 8 June catalysed political and funding commitments to improve global nutrition.

Private Sector Investment

Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to encourage responsible private sector investment, including in supply chains for retailers.

Justine Greening: Bangladesh shows the tragic consequences of ignoring the responsibilities businesses carry for the safety and well-being of the people they affect. My Department places great importance on shaping investment and business operations to improve working conditions and promote economic development.
	The steps we are taking to encourage responsible private sector investment include (i) working jointly with retailers committed to improving conditions in their supply chains, (ii) strengthening standards and company reporting, and (iii) ensuring workers have a voice and can gain redress.
	I intend to host a roundtable event next month with major UK retailers to discuss this issue.

Overseas Aid

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which 10 countries received the most support from her Department in the last year for which figures are available; and which other countries received support from her Department in that year.

Alan Duncan: The following table shows the 10 countries which received the most support from DFID's bilateral aid programme in the financial year 2011-12:
	
		
			 Rank Country 
			 1 Ethiopia 
			 2 India 
			 3 Bangladesh 
			 4 Pakistan 
			 5 Nigeria 
			 6 Afghanistan 
			 7 Congo (Dem Rep) 
			 8 Tanzania 
			 9 Somalia 
			 10 Kenya 
		
	
	Details of all countries in receipt of DFID bilateral programme expenditure, for the last five years, are listed in Tables 14.1-14.5 of the ‘Statistics on International Development' publication, available online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistics-on-international-development
	Information on the amount of support received by different countries in 2012-13 will be published in 'Statistics on International Development' in autumn 2013.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the UK gives to wildlife conservation in sub-Saharan Africa.

Lynne Featherstone: In 2012 DEFRA gave £8.5 million to 33 new projects under the Darwin Initiative, which has backed wildlife conservation projects in some of the world's poorest countries for the last two decades. Many of these were in Africa, including a project in Liberia to build the capacity of the next generation of conservation professionals.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department has made an assessment of the effect of drone strikes on shifting livelihood strategies in the affected regions in Somalia and Yemen.

Justine Greening: DFID receives regular reports on persons displaced by conflict, including in countries affected by drone strikes such as Somalia and Yemen. These are not disaggregated by specific cause but provide sufficient information to assess and respond to the needs of the most vulnerable.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department has undertaken research on retaliation attacks on local and international aid workers following drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Justine Greening: We have not undertaken any research on retaliation attacks on aid workers following drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services: Concessions

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authorities provide free bus travel to 16 to 24 year olds not in education, employment or training.

Norman Baker: Local authorities which are travel concession authorities (TCAs) have powers to implement discretionary schemes providing concessionary fares for groups of people.
	Statistics on the provision of youth discounts can be found in National Statistics Table BUS0842, at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus08-concessionary-travel
	However, we do not have detailed or complete information on which specific age groups such concessions are provided for or what level of fare discount is offered.
	Overall, in 2011-12, 28 out of 89 TCAs outside London offered concessions to young people. In addition, bus operators in 80 TCA areas offered their own commercial discounts. The age restrictions applicable to each local scheme will vary.

Railway Track

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total mileage of rail track in (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales is owned and operated by Network Rail.

Simon Burns: The total mileage of rail track owned by Network Rail in Scotland, England and Wales is shown in the following table. These figures are for the total amounts of running track owned by Network Rail, which include the running lines on the network, but exclude sidings and depots.
	
		
			 Network Rail owned running track 2012-13 
			  Miles 
			 England 15,156 
			 Scotland 2,632 
			 Wales 1,520 
			 Source: Network Rail.

Railways: Devon

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the railway network between London and Devon.

Simon Burns: The Department has not recently carried out an assessment of the railway between London and Devon. There is an industry process, led by Network Rail, for the ongoing assessment of the network's capability and prioritisation of funding for upgrades. Network Rail published the Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) in March 2010, which is available on their website, and this is currently being updated through the Network Rail's Long-Term Planning Process.
	Network Rail is also actively investigating the resilience of the route to Devon in light of the recent severe flooding.

Railways: Devon

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to improve the railway network services between London and Devon.

Simon Burns: A significant programme of upgrade work is already under way on the Great Western route, including electrification to Newbury, Oxford, Swansea and Bristol, new intercity trains, and the redevelopment of Reading station.
	The Rail Investment Strategy for 2014-19 provides a £300 million fund for journey time and performance improvements for which the London to Devon route would be eligible.
	The outcome of Network Rail's Long-Term Planning Process, now currently under way, will consider possible improvements for the period after 2019.

Thameslink Railway Line

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the prospects for completion of the Thameslink tender franchise by 2018.

Patrick McLoughlin: The Department continues to aim for delivery of the 24 trains per hour service by December 2018.
	As soon as the rolling stock contract has been awarded, the Department will work with industry partners to complete a detailed review of the cross-industry plan to confirm delivery timescales.
	With regards to the Thameslink franchise, the Department announced in March that the procurement process for the new Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise has restarted with the aim of the next franchisee taking over the elements of the route currently operated by First Capital Connect (Thameslink and Great Northern) in September 2014, with those elements currently operated by Southern becoming part of the franchise in July 2015.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Accountancy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the names, job titles, area of work, term of appointment and Civil Service equivalent grade are of personnel currently seconded to his Department from the big four accountancy firms.

Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA does not have any personnel currently seconded from the big four accountancy firms.

Agricultural Shows

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will hold discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on reducing taxation for England's agricultural county shows; and what steps he is taking to reduce the regulatory burden on such shows.

David Heath: I have no current plans to discuss the taxation of agricultural county shows with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and DEFRA is taking no steps at present specifically to reduce the regulatory burden on agricultural county shows. However, DEFRA is keen to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens wherever possible, so I would welcome a letter describing the specific burdens of DEFRA regulation on such shows along with suggestions for improvement. DEFRA will launch a new Red Tape Challenge theme later in the summer covering agricultural and animal health regulations and, if it is felt that these regulations place a burden on agricultural county shows, we would welcome comments on this to feed into our review.

Animal Experiments

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on reducing the number of animals used in scientific procedures; what steps he is taking to reduce the number of animals used in such procedures; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: DEFRA officials meet with Home Office officials and key stakeholders at regular intervals to discuss a range of issues relating to animal welfare, including policies on the use of animals in scientific procedures, for which Home Office is the lead Department.

Bees

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the decline in the bee population.

David Heath: DEFRA Ministers have not discussed strategies to protect bee populations with their counterparts in other European countries or in the EU. However, the UK is fully engaged in all the appropriate European fora. There is a considerable body of Government funded work that benefits bee species and other important pollinators. The Government is considering whether there is added value in bringing all this work together in a holistic strategy.

Bees

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to support the declining bee population.

David Heath: We are reviewing the health and value of bees and other pollinators to develop a better understanding of the various factors that can harm pollinators and the changes that Government, other organisations and individuals can make to counter their impact. This review will consider the value that a National Pollinator Strategy might add in addition to the other Government initiatives that are currently under way.
	My noble Friend, Lord de Mauley, and DEFRA's chief scientific adviser have already met to discuss this work with a number of interested parties, including some non-government organisations. We are seeking to host discussions with other stakeholders over the summer.
	Meanwhile, there are a number of initiatives in place to support the bee population.
	In 2009, DEFRA and the Welsh Government launched the Healthy Bees Plan which is aimed at improving and protecting the health of honey bees over the next 10 years.
	DEFRA is providing £2.5 million over five years (from 2010-11) towards the £10 million Insect Pollinators Initiative, which is being jointly funded with the Scottish Government, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.
	‘Biodiversity 2020’ committed to an increase in the overall extent of priority habitats by at least 200,000 hectares and to preventing further human-induced extinctions of known species. Further to this, Natural England funds conservation projects to support priority species such as bumble bees.
	Funding is also available to encourage farmers to provide forage and nesting sites for bees. Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) provides payments for the establishment of nectar flower mixtures. Several new ELS options were introduced from 1 January 2013, including a supplement to add wildflowers to buffer strips and field corners, plus options for legume-rich and herb-rich swards to provide habitat and food for invertebrates including bees.

Bees

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to support the honey industry in light of decreasing bee yields.

David Heath: There are no plans to support the honey industry directly. However, there are a number of initiatives in place to support the honey bee sector through DEFRA's Healthy Bees Plan and bee health programme.

Bees: Lancashire

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if he will estimate the bee population of Lancashire in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to preserve the bee population in Lancashire.

David Heath: We are taking a number of steps to support wild bees and managed honey bees across England that will benefit their populations in Lancashire.
	Currently, we are reviewing the health and value of bees and other pollinators to develop a better understanding of the various factors that can harm pollinators and the changes that the Government, other organisations and individuals can make to counter their impact. This review will consider the value that a National Pollinator Strategy might add in addition to the other Government initiatives that are currently under way.
	My noble Friend, Lord de Mauley, and DEFRA's chief scientific adviser have already met to discuss this work with a number of interested parties, including some non-government organisations. We are seeking to host discussions with other stakeholders over the summer.
	Meanwhile, there are a number of initiatives in place to support the bee population. These include the following:
	In 2009, DEFRA and the Welsh Government launched the Healthy Bees Plan which is aimed at improving and protecting the health of honey bees over the next 10 years.
	DEFRA's bee health programme, delivered by the Food and Environment Research Agency's National Bee Unit (NBU), provides free inspection and comprehensive education on a wide range of beekeeping issues. The aim of the programme is to control the spread of statutory pests and diseases and improve beekeepers' disease recognition and husbandry skills. In 2012 there were 649 colony inspections and 20 training events in Lancashire.
	DEFRA is providing £2.5 million over five years (from 2010-11) towards the £10 million Insect Pollinators Initiative, which is being jointly funded with the Scottish Government, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.
	Our biodiversity strategy, ‘Biodiversity 2020’, committed to an increase in the overall extent of priority habitats by at least 200,000 hectares and to preventing further human-induced extinctions of known species. To help drive this commitment, the UK Government has provided funding to establish 12 new Nature Improvement Areas to create more and better-connected habitats at a landscape scale. We have provided £610,000 to support the Morecambe Bay Limestone and Wetlands Nature Improvement Area which spans Lancashire and Cumbria.
	Funding is also available to encourage farmers to provide forage and nesting sites for bees. Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) provides payments for the establishment of nectar flower mixtures. Several new ELS options were introduced from 1 January 2013, including a supplement to add wildflowers to buffer strips and field corners, plus options for legume-rich and herb-rich swards to provide habitat and food for invertebrates including bees.
	There is no published data on the number of honey bees in Lancashire. However, the NBU has a voluntary database of beekeepers which has the following information recorded for Lancashire:
	
		
			  Beekeepers Colonies 
			 2010 412 1,318 
			 2011 477 1,688 
			 2012 531 1,766 
		
	
	Monitoring to detect changes in the abundance of wild insect bees accurately is not, and has never been, carried out systematically in the UK or in Europe. It is not possible therefore to estimate the size of the wild bee population at national or individual county level. In Great Britain, we do know that there has been an overall decline in the diversity of wild bees in recent decades(1) with some areas showing an increase in diversity, but a significantly greater area showing a decline. This broad trend is likely to be reflected across the country. Changes are likely to be driven, at least in part, by significant range contractions for specialist species that are associated with natural or semi-natural habitat or have narrow forage requirements.
	The question of how best to measure population trends in the future will be addressed as part of our review and will be discussed at related expert workshops in autumn 2013.
	(1) As measured by number of species per unit area.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what evidential basis the badger cull has been planned.

David Heath: The badger cull policy is based on evidence from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT). Using the results of this trial (based on an average of five years' culling plus a four-year post-cull period), culling over an area of 150 km(2) could be expected to lead to an average 16% reduction in TB incidence in the local area. This figure was agreed by an independent panel of scientists at a meeting with Professor Bob Watson, DEFRA's then Chief Scientific Adviser. A summary of the key conclusions from this meeting is available on the DEFRA website at:
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/documents/bovinetb-scientificexperts-110404.pdf

Bovine Tuberculosis

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the additional costs associated with cage trapping and shooting of badgers will be borne by (a) the Government and (b) the National Farmers' Union.

David Heath: The industry will be responsible for the operational costs of delivering culling. The methods of cage trapping (followed by shooting) or controlled shooting of badgers can be used in combination or as single control methods. It is for industry to decide which culling method(s) should be used to remove badgers.

Flood Control

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has considered the possibility of widening and deepening rivers to help alleviate flooding in regularly affected areas.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency, as a risk management authority, has powers to carry out flood and coastal risk management work on main rivers in England. This includes widening and deepening rivers.
	Dredging and other types of watercourse management are routinely considered by the Environment Agency when assessing how best to manage flood risk to protect people and property.
	Each site is different so the Environment Agency takes a risk-based approach and adopts the most suitable maintenance procedure for each stretch of river, ensuring that this does not adversely impact on habitats or protected species.

Food: Waste

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has any plans to set targets for food waste reduction for producers and retailers.

Richard Benyon: The Government has set targets for food producers and retailers to reduce food and packaging waste under the voluntary Courtauld Commitment. The targets that feature food waste for the three phases are:
	
		
			 Reduction 
			   Percentage 
			 Objective Courtauld Commitment phase 1 targets (2005-09)(1) (tonnes) Courtauld Commitment phase 2 targets (2010-12)(2) Courtauld Commitment phase 3 targets (2013-15)(3) 
			 Manufacturing and retail waste(4) (5)— 5 3 
			 Household food and drink waste 155,000 4 5 
			 (1) Against a 2008 baseline. (2) Against a 2009 baseline. (3) Against a 2012 baseline. (4) This includes food and packaging waste. (5) Not included in Courtauld 1. 
		
	
	The third phase already has 45 signatories, representing a combined share of over 90% of the UK grocery market, based on sales.

Guide Dogs

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to help harnessed guide dogs from being attacked by other dogs.

David Heath: On 9 May the Government introduced into Parliament the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill, which will streamline measures designed to tackle antisocial behaviour including such instances where they involve a dog. This will allow action to betaken before a dog becomes dangerously out of control. The Bill will also amend the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 so that a dog attack on an assistance dog will be treated as an aggravated offence, as if it were an attack on a person. This will mean that the owner of the dog that attacks an assistance dog will be liable to prosecution and on conviction a potential unlimited fine and imprisonment for up to two years.

Horse Racing

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 688W, on horseracing; 
	(1)  if he will estimate the number of racehorses killed outright or destroyed at each British racecourse in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012;
	(2)  if he will publish the names of all racehorses (a) killed outright and (b) destroyed on British racecourses or shortly afterwards due to injury in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012.

David Heath: The Government do not hold this information.

Horses: Diseases

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) contagious equine metritis and (b) equine viral arteritis are to remain notifiable diseases under the Animal Health Act 1981.

David Heath: There are no plans at present to delist any notifiable diseases, though we are keeping this under review. We will, of course, work closely with the industry on this and consult on any potential changes. Our priority will remain the safeguarding of human and animal health and to protect trade and wider society.

Insects

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements are in place to monitor the population of (a) bees and (b) other pollinators across the UK.

David Heath: The Government recognises the importance of all pollinators, including bees, and their value to both food security and sustaining the natural environment.
	Monitoring to detect changes in the abundance of insect pollinators accurately is not, and has never been, carried out systematically in the UK or in Europe. Our current knowledge is derived from limited abundance surveys for some species groups or from analysis of occurrence records to identify changes in range or diversity.
	DEFRA has been exploring ways to support more systematic approaches to monitor wild pollinator species, in collaboration with other organisations, such as the Research Councils, and the voluntary sector.
	Specifically we are looking at how to build on existing expertise within the voluntary sector to develop innovative ways to collect monitoring data. The question of how best to measure population trends will also be addressed by a comprehensive review of evidence on pollinators and will be discussed at related expert workshops in autumn 2013.

Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on laws and regulations on nitrogen dioxide pollution; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The meeting of the Informal Environment Council of the Irish Presidency on 22 April included a wide ranging discussion of the European Commission's outline plans for its review of the 2005 Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and associated policies. The review is due to conclude in October; a key objective is to address the compliance challenges faced by member states, including for nitrogen dioxide.

Pets: Poisoning

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) cats, (b) dogs and (c) other household pets poisoned by antifreeze in each of the last 10 years.

David Heath: The Government has not made any estimate of the number of cats or dogs poisoned by antifreeze.

Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies procured from companies based in Scotland of a value in excess of £25,000 since May 2010; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such procurement contract.

Richard Benyon: Placed in the Library of the House is a table that sets out what has been procured by core DEFRA, and its non-departmental public bodies from companies based in Scotland of a value in excess of £25,000 since May 2010 and what the costs have been to the public purse.
	This uses Scottish postcodes to identify companies based in Scotland, even though some are subsidiaries of UK or international groups.
	Since January 2011, central Government Departments, including their agencies and non-departmental public bodies, have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the contracts they award:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk
	In addition, core DEFRA publishes details of spend in excess of £25,000:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-spending-over-25-000-published

Stray Dogs

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to control stray dogs.

David Heath: On 9 February the Government announced proposals for every dog to be microchipped from April 2016. Voluntary micrcochipping of dogs enables around 50,000 stray or displaced dogs each year to be reunited with their owners. If all dogs were microchipped it would reduce the time any stray dog has to spend in kennels while the owner is traced.

DEFENCE

Redundancy

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of his Department who have worked on the Government's nuclear policy have been made redundant since 2010.

Andrew Murrison: No Ministry of Defence officials working on nuclear policy have either been made redundant, or left under the Voluntary Early Release Scheme (VERS) since 2010. It is Government policy not to release Nuclear Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel.
	Details of officials who have left the Department under VERS and have worked in the nuclear policy area at any point in their career are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Afghanistan

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes his Department plans to make to the data collection process relating to compensation claims for deaths caused by drone strikes in Afghanistan.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 601W, to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson).

Armed Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many members of the armed forces with an interrupted service career history have been re-employed in the armed forces since May 2005;
	(2)  how many members of the armed forces with an interrupted service career history were re-employed in the armed forces between 6 April 2005 and 1 January 2010.

Andrew Murrison: holding answer 10 June 2013
	Information on the number of armed forces personnel with interrupted service career history that have been re-employed since April 2005 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Redundancy

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans he has to review his Department's policy on early departure payment awards for members of the armed forces with an interrupted service career history;
	(2)  what his Department's policy is on early departure payments to those who have previously had a break in their service in the armed forces;
	(3)  whether he plans to review his policy on early departure payment awards to members of the armed forces who have an interrupted service career history.

Andrew Murrison: holding answer 10 June 2013
	The terms of the Early Departure Payment (EDP) scheme were set under the previous Administration and came into effect when the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (AFPS 05) was introduced in April 2005. To qualify for an EDP an individual has to reach age 40 or over and have at least 18 years relevant service. Relevant service includes any period of AFPS 05 service on or after 6 April 2005.
	Those who have had a break in service prior to 6 April 2005 cannot normally count their previous service—which would have been as a member of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 (AFPS 75)—as relevant service for EDP purposes. However, where that service was aggregated with a subsequent period of AFPS 75 service for pension purposes and the individual transferred their benefits to AFPS 05 under the 2006 Offer to Transfer, it can be counted towards the EDP.
	There are no current plans to review the existing legislation relating to early departure payments for members of the armed forces with an interrupted service career history. However, for the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme, which will be introduced in 2015, the wider issue of transfers and re-joiners is currently the subject of discussions between the public service schemes and HM Treasury.

Cybercrime

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking through the Defence Cyber Security Programme to increase the cyber awareness of (a) civilian staff in his Department and (b) armed forces personnel.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 11 June 2013
	Cyber awareness is key to the cyber defence of our networks.
	All Defence personnel are required either to complete the Protecting Information e-learning which now contains essential cyber security messages, or (for those without routine access to departmental IT systems) to attend a briefing covering similar messages. Cyber awareness also forms a part of the short security briefing which all Defence personnel must attend annually. We regularly review the content to ensure that the latest information is given.
	We have rolled out an e-learning programme on cyber awareness (including an assessment test). As at 9 June 2013 this had been completed by over 49,000 staff, with a further 11,000 enrolled. The programme covers both civilian and military personnel.
	We are also engaging directly with single services and civilian training authorities to ensure that cyber awareness is included at appropriate levels in training courses ranging from induction to senior-level courses, and with particular professional groups to ensure that their needs for additional aspects of awareness are met.

Defence Equipment

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment was tested under Better Equipment through Ashchurch; what cost savings were made as a result of that programme; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: Better Equipment Throughput at Ashchurch (BETA) is not an equipment programme but a forum that meets quarterly to prioritise, agree, plan and review the business performance of Ashchurch. These sessions are chaired jointly by Director Land Equipment and Army HQ at a senior level, the purpose of the joint chair is to align the two customer demands at Ashchurch. Benefits accrued to date are:
	Bowman Control and Optimisation;
	Site rationalisation plan and implementation;
	Restructured Ashchurch business;
	Resource control;
	Improved disposals programme;
	Improved Fleet coordination;
	Improved health and safety and quality standards;
	Increased population of the Controlled Humidity Environment facility;
	Consistent delivery of equipment platforms under Urgent Operational Requirements;
	MAN SV Programme—Backlog reduction from 1,200 to 500; and
	Introduction of JAMES, a logistics IT system, and its operator roles.
	The Defence Support Group calculates that the BETA process has contributed in delivering cost avoidance savings to Ministry of Defence of £6.29 million to 31 March 2013.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK personnel have flown unmanned aerial vehicles as part of NATO operations.

Andrew Robathan: Yes.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Accountancy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department are currently seconded to any of the four largest accountancy firms; and what the (a) job titles and (b) pay grade is of each such secondee.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not have any people currently seconded to any of the big four accountancy firms.

Electricity

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the potential effects of electricity market reform on the development of (a) gasification, (b) pyrolysis and (c) other nascent technologies.

Michael Fallon: DECC is considering the appropriate level of support for gasification, pyrolysis and other nascent technologies. Proposed support levels under Contracts for Difference will be published for consultation in July, as part of the draft Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan. This will be accompanied by an impact assessment which will set out the potential effects of these strike prices on the electricity market.

Energy

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the potential effect (a) on levy control framework funding of his proposals for the capacity market and (b) of the interaction between the two.

Michael Fallon: The costs of the capacity market will not count against the £7.6 billion levy control framework limit agreed for 2020-21. The limits to levy control framework funding were set assuming de-rated capacity margins consistent with the operation of the capacity market. As such, they are sufficient to deliver our low carbon objectives alongside the introduction of a capacity market to ensure future security of supply.

Fossil Fuelled Power Stations: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department is responsible for the decommissioning costs of fossil fuel-fired power stations in Wales.

Michael Fallon: The costs of decommissioning fossil fuel-fired power stations in Wales are the responsibility of the operators of such stations.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 711W, on the Green Deal Scheme: North East, what information will be contained in the first quarterly Official Statistics which his Department plans to publish on 27 June 2013.

Gregory Barker: The first quarterly Official Statistics on Green Deal and ECO, to be published on 27 June, will cover the period to 31 March 2013. This quarterly report will contain more detailed analysis of the GD assessments carried out in that period including breakdowns by type of property and of measures recommended in these assessments. The report will also include a section on planned additional content for future quarterly releases as more data becomes available.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what date he plans to publish the number of Green Deal packages that have been signed since the programme's inception.

Gregory Barker: The Department's next monthly Green Deal/Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) statistical release, to be published on 27 June, will be an expanded version of previous monthly releases and will include numbers of Green Deal Plans.

National Grid: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with National Grid on energy transmission infrastructure projects to connect North and South Wales.

Michael Fallon: DECC Ministers hold discussions with National Grid across a range of its activities. These have included updates from National Grid on some of its major projects. When this has occurred, Ministers have abided by propriety rules due to the role they play in deciding on planning applications for such projects.

Renewable Energy

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to increase investment in green and renewable technology.

Michael Fallon: The Energy Bill and Electricity Market Reform will provide a flexible toolkit to deliver a diverse and low-carbon electricity market at least cost to the consumer. It will help bring forward some £110 billion in the electricity sector to meet our low carbon and renewable goals.
	We intend to publish details of the proposed support levels under Contracts for Difference—or strike prices—in July. In parallel we are running a Final Investment Decision enabling project for renewables, which aims to enable successful applicants to take final investment decisions ahead of the implementation of the enduring Contract for Difference regime. We intend to publish further details shortly.

Sign Language

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure the services it offers are accessible to British Sign Language users.

Gregory Barker: The Department and I take diversity and accessibility issues seriously. Although DECC does not provide direct services to the public in the way that a Department like DWP would, we take steps to comply with the reasonable adjustment duty set out in the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that disabled people, including BSL users, can access information about our policies and programmes. DECC ensures that where we are aware of sign language requirements, we would provide these as a matter of course.
	DECC has not made use of a British Sign Language signer recently, nevertheless there are a range of adaptions we have put in place to make information accessible to people. For example, audio looping, subtitling and putting captions on promotional and information videos which explain our policies, programmes and the nature of the challenge that we are aiming to tackle.
	A practical example is the transition to the new one Government website; one of the main drivers for transferring to the new platform is to make information about the Department and its policies available and accessible to as many members of the public as possible.

World Environment Day

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department took to mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2013.

Gregory Barker: The Department did not specifically mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2013. Officials were aware that this was taking place and we support it, but no particular departmental activities were delivered.

World War II: Medals

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent consideration has been given to official recognition for the service of non-conscripts who worked in mines during the Second World War.

Michael Fallon: There has been no recent consideration on extending wartime service recognition to those non-conscripts who worked in mines during the Second World War. The Bevin Boys Veterans Badge, introduced in 2007, recognises those that served under the scheme introduced by the then Minister of Labour and National Service in 1943.
	The Government fully appreciates that those involved in reserved occupations, such as those employed in the mines prior to the Bevin Boys Scheme being introduced in 1943, also did sterling service for their country. However, given the non-availability of records and the length of time that has now passed it would not be possible for the Department to verify potential applications, hence the decision to focus recognition on the Bevin Boys.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Accountancy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the names, job titles, area of work, term of appointment and Civil Service equivalent grade are of personnel currently seconded to his Department from the big four accountancy firms.

Alistair Burt: According to our centrally held records, no UK based staff are on secondment to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from the big four accountancy firms. We have interpreted 'the big four' to mean KPMG, Ernst and Young, Deloitte and Price WaterhouseCooper.

Afghanistan

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Afghan government on (a) increasing support for family response units and (b) increasing women's recruitment and retention in the police.

Alistair Burt: The UK has been forthright in its promotion of the full participation of women in all aspects of Afghan society, which is fundamental to securing a stable and prosperous future Afghanistan. We regularly raise the protection and promotion of women's rights with the Afghan Government and wider Afghan authorities. During her visit to Afghanistan in March, the Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, discussed women's vital contribution to building peace, security and prosperity in Afghanistan with the Afghan Government and wider Afghan authorities, leading female parliamentarians and other government and civil society, representatives. In Helmand, Baroness Warsi visited the Provincial Police Headquarters and met female police officers who are contributing to the provision of security in their community.
	The UK provides £7.1 million assistance to the Ministry of the Interior (MoI) in Afghanistan, which includes supporting work that is helping to protect and uphold women's rights. This includes the development of the Afghan National Police's policy on promoting human rights and protecting women and women rights defenders from violence. The MoI has set up a working group (to which EUPOL, the European Police Mission for Afghanistan, provides specialists) to come up with a comprehensive approach to the role of females in the police. Its aim is to increase the number of police women by adjusting selection procedures, improving working conditions and providing better training.
	Through our support to EUPOL, the UK supports the Ministry of Interior in its efforts to increase the numbers and capacity of Family Response Units across Afghanistan. Earlier this year, a Memorandum of Understanding between EUPOL, the Ministry of Interior and United Nations Development Programme was signed to this effect. EUPOL also funds the trial of community police units in seven provinces with the aim to bring the community closer to the police. Each of these community police units will include female officers.

China

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese government on cyber-security issues; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), hosted the London Cyber Conference in 2011 and attended the Budapest Cyber Conference in 2012. The Chinese Government was represented at both conferences. The Secretary of State would welcome the Chinese Government attending the next Cyber Conference in Seoul in October, where we can continue to engage on important cyber issues, however, we continue to follow a policy of not commenting on the country of source of cyber attacks against British interests.
	Cyber security remains a top priority for the UK Government, and we already cooperate constructively with China at officials' level on issues of common cyber concern such as criminal activity. We aim to broaden this relationship to address wider cyber issues on prosperity and security which underpin our mutual bilateral interests.

Electronic Surveillance

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will seek assurances that communications of British parliamentarians are not monitored by the National Security Agency;
	(2)  if he will seek an exemption to the US Prism programme for UK companies and individuals.

Alistair Burt: It is the long-standing policy of successive governments not to comment in detail on matters of intelligence. This includes discussions with allies and liaison agencies. For more information on UK safeguards, I refer to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to the House on 10 June 2013, Official Report , columns 31-49.

NATO

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many performance reports were prepared by the International Board of Auditors of NATO in each of the last three financial years; what policy changes were made in response to the Board's findings; and what recent discussions he has had with the NATO Secretariat on this matter.

David Lidington: The International Board of Auditors of NATO (IBAN) published four performance reports in 2010; five reports in 2011; and three performance reports in 2012. The 2012 performance audits covered the implementation of NATO agency reform, the arrangements for managing the construction of the new Alliance-headquarters building, and the supply of fuels to NATO forces in Afghanistan, in each case the audit feedback has been used to drive improvements in decision making and management process. The UK regularly raises these issues directly with NATO staff and at the North Atlantic Council where we are strong proponents of accountable and effective governance, and best practice in budgetary control and financial management. Strong, independent, and effective external audit is a critical element of this.

NATO

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many sets of financial accounts were prepared by NATO in each of the last three years; how many such accounts were audited by IBAN within (a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) 24 months and (d) more than 24 months of the end of the accounting period; how many such accounts have yet to be audited; how many such financial audits were (i) qualified, (ii) accompanied by a management letter advising a need for consequential management action and (iii) given unqualified approval; and how many of these audited sets of accounts have been published to date.

David Lidington: Different NATO entities are auditing on different cycles. Typically, its field work within six to eight months of receiving financial statements although post-audit consultation means that final publication sometimes takes longer. Core entities (NATO HQ, Military Command Structure and certain agencies) are audited annually; the accounts of other NATO bodies (including those of multinational high readiness headquarters, and centres of excellence) are audited on a two-year cycle, in agreement with the participating nations.
	In 2010, IBAN issued 29 financial audit reports which comprised 42 auditor's opinions on the accounts of NATO bodies and associated organisations. 32 of these accounts received unqualified audit opinions, including two accounts that were corrected and re-issued. The board issued nine qualified audit opinions and one disclaimer of audit opinion on the financial statements of eight entities.
	In 2011, there were 33 financial audit reports which comprised 49 auditor's opinions. The board issued 14 qualified, adverse, or disclaimer of audit opinion on the financial statements of nine different entities.
	In 2012, 36 financial audit reports were issued comprising 44 auditor's opinions of which 30 were unqualified opinions. The board issued 14 qualified, adverse or disclaimer of audit opinion on the financial statements of 11 different entities.

NATO

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library (a) a copy of the NATO Secretariat's report on the review of NATO's external audit arrangements, (b) a synopsis of the report into NATO's external audit arrangements if the report itself is classified and (c) a summary of the views expressed by the UK representatives and a list of the actions agreed by the North Atlantic Council during its consideration of that report.

David Lidington: As part of a wider process of Alliance Reform, the NATO Secretary-General initialled a review aimed at strengthening NATO's external audit function and the resulting report was considered by the North Atlantic Council on 29 May. The UK has pushed for the highest possible standards of fiscal governance, and for a strong and effective audit arrangement in order to assure compliance. More specifically the UK has sought improved transparency through the automatic publication of NATO audit reports (unless there is a security reason not to do so) and improved accountability through the update of NATO's financial regulations to draw clear lines of responsibility. We have also sought improved financial reporting across the Alliance, including through the appointment of a head of financial reporting. The UK has also sought to improve IBAN's accountability and it has been agreed that IBAN will be peer-reviewed by national supreme audit institutions (SAI); a pilot study will be conducted to explore how IBAN might make the best possible use of the expertise that exists in SAIs.
	We will place in the Library the relevant documentation as soon as possible.

NATO

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reforms he is seeking to NATO's financial accounting and audit arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The UK is a leading voice in the area of NATO reform. We have pressed for the need for an efficient and effective NATO that makes the best use of its resources. We want any NATO auditing authority to be effective in holding NATO to account, using best practice to help deliver value for money. However external audit is but one element of the wider governance process, and we continue to push for accountable and effective management at all levels within the alliance.

Redundancy

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees of his Department who have worked on the Government's nuclear policy have been made redundant since 2010.

Alistair Burt: No UK-based members of staff who worked on nuclear policy have been made redundant. We cannot confirm the position for locally-engaged members of staff overseas as this would involve contacting every overseas post and would incur disproportionate cost.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was to the Child Support Agency of compensating customers in the form of conciliatory payments for the financial years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Steve Webb: The following table provides information on consolatory payments for the financial year's 2010-11 and 2011-12. These figures are included in the total compensation figures as published in the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's (The Commission) Report and Accounts.
	Payments are compensatory amounts paid to parents on an ex gratia basis where delays or administrative errors have resulted in lower than expected service standards. Figures exclude financial loss.
	
		
			 Financial year Total consolatory payment (£) 
			 2010-11 438,000 
			 2011-12 282,000 
		
	
	On 1 August 2012 the work of the Commission including the Child support Agency transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and as part of this transfer the requirement for the Commission to produce Annual Accounts ended.
	Consolatory payment figures for 2012-13 will be available in the coming weeks when the DWP Report and Accounts is finalised and published.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many former recipients of incapacity benefit who have been reassessed for eligibility for employment and support allowance (ESA) and initially found not entitled to ESA have appealed against the decision; and, of those, how many have (a) had their appeal upheld, (b) had their appeal refused and (c) not had their appeal determined.

Mark Hoban: Information on appeal outcomes for incapacity benefits reassessments is not available.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the migration from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance to be complete.

Mark Hoban: The national incapacity benefit reassessment process is expected to be completed by April 2014.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many former recipients of incapacity benefit who have been re-assessed for eligibility for employment and support allowance (ESA) were initially found to be (a) entitled to ESA and (b) not entitled to ESA, including those who appealed against the refusal of their benefit.

Mark Hoban: The Department regularly publishes official statistics on employment and support allowance (ESA), the work capability assessment (WCA) and the reassessment of incapacity benefit claimants. The latest report was published in April 2013 and can be found on the internet at the following link:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_20130430.xls
	Note that table 10 shows the outcomes of Work Capability Assessments for Incapacity Benefit Reassessment and is adjusted to account for the outcome of appeals.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many former recipients of incapacity benefit who have migrated to employment and support allowance have a mental health condition.

Mark Hoban: Statistics on the number of former incapacity benefit (IB) recipients who have migrated to employment and support allowance (ESA), by IB ICD (disease) code, which includes mental and behavioural disorders, can be found at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

Employment Schemes: Hearing Impairment

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to support employment opportunities for deaf people.

Esther McVey: We are committed to ensuring that all disabled people have the opportunities, chances and support that they need to get a job and remain in employment and there is a range of provision to help them.
	The Work programme is the biggest single Welfare to Work programme. It provides more personalised back-to-work support for unemployed people, including deaf people.
	For deaf and hearing impaired people with more complex needs which cannot be met through the Work programme, they can access a range of specialist disability employment provision.
	Work Choice provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment, find and stay in work and ultimately help them progress into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual. Work Choice is voluntary and available regardless of any benefits being claimed. Work Choice can provide an indefinite period of support once the customer is in work, unlike mainstream employment provision. This is in recognition of the fact that some Work Choice participants may need ongoing support to overcome barriers in work that cannot be met through normal workplace adjustments.
	Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. It provides individuals and their employers with advice and support with extra costs which may arise because of an individual's needs. The type of support Access to Work provides can include transport to work, support workers, specialist adaptations, BSL translation and equipment.
	During 2011-12 Access to Work supported over 30,000 people to keep or get employment.
	Residential Training provides vocational training to unemployed disabled adults, whose needs cannot be met through any other Government funded programmes and is delivered through nine Residential Training Colleges. Colleges have the freedom to develop their services to meet the needs of the individual. Doncaster College for the Deaf provide specialist support for deaf and hearing impaired people.
	Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisers can provide support and advice for disabled people who need help finding and retaining employment. They can refer individuals to specialist programmes, including Work Choice, and can use the professional expertise of Work Psychologists, who specialise in working with disabled people. Disability Employment Advisers can advocate with employers on the individual's behalf and help employers to explore job solutions such as the restructuring of a job's tasks/environment, or the provision/change of equipment.
	The Department is also currently updating its strategy on engaging with employers on disability employment. This is expected to include deepening the support and resources available to employers in a strategic way.

Food Banks

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claimants were referred by jobcentres to food banks in (a) Birmingham, Hall Green constituency, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the UK in (i) 2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13.

Mark Hoban: DWP does not collate or hold numbers on the usage of food banks.

Remploy

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of employees in former Remploy factories that have closed since May 2010 have since found alternative employment.

Esther McVey: Since the announcement by the Department and Remploy in March 2012 about Remploy's future, 1,522 employees have been made redundant.
	Of these, 1,100 have elected to take up the offer of tailored individual support to find another job. A total of 462 jobs have been found for disabled former Remploy employees, and 386 are currently in work. This means that approximately 35% of former employees are currently in alternative employment. A further 30% of those former employees who are engaging with our tailored package of support are on Work Choice undertaking training and other activities aimed at moving them closer to employment.

Social Security Benefits

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it the policy of his Department to record the nationality of benefit claimants.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress the Government has made in developing ways to record the (a) nationality and (b) immigration status of benefit claimants.

Mark Hoban: We check nationality and immigration status of benefit claimants to ensure the benefit is paid properly and to prevent fraud. While this information is used, it is not currently recorded as part of the payment administrative systems.
	As we progressively roll out universal credit we will be recording nationality and immigration status as part of the process.

Social Security Benefits: St Helens

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in St Helens South and Whiston constituency have been subject to benefits sanctions in each month of the last three years.

Mark Hoban: The number of jobseeker's allowance claimants with a sanction applied in St Helens South and Whiston constituency by month from 1 June 2009 to 31 May 2012 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Claimants with a jobseeker's allowance sanction applied 
			 2009  
			 June 70 
			 July 90 
			 August 50 
			 September 80 
			 October 60 
			 November 70 
			 December 40 
			   
			 20010  
			 January 50 
			 February 80 
			 March 100 
			 April 70 
			 May 100 
			 June 110 
			 July 130 
			 August 120 
			 September 140 
			 October 160 
			 November 160 
			 December 120 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 150 
			 February 170 
			 March 160 
			 April 90 
		
	
	
		
			 May 80 
			 June 80 
			 July 70 
			 August 90 
			 September 110 
			 October 110 
			 November 80 
			 December 70 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 100 
			 February 120 
			 March 120 
			 April 130 
			 May 160 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. The number of sanctions applied is the number of varied, fixed length and entitlement decision referrals where there has been an adverse decision. 3. Varied length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for leaving employment voluntarily without just cause, refusing employment without good cause, or losing employment through misconduct. The actual period in each case is at the discretion of the adjudication officer who makes the decision. 4. Fixed length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for refusal, without good cause, to attend an employment programme or carry out a Jobseeker's Direction. Payment of benefit continues in full pending the adjudication officer's decision on a sanction question. 5. Entitlement decisions: These are questions on which entitlement to JSA depends. For example, if there is doubt around whether the jobseeker's agreement is suitable, whether they are actively looking for work or making themselves available for work. In most cases payment of JSA will be suspended by benefit processing until the doubt is resolved. 6. Month of decision: The month in which the decision on the sanction referral, reconsideration or appeal was made. This table only includes data up to and including 31 May, which is the latest data available for all geographical areas. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. 
		
	
	The number of income support lone parent claimants with a sanction applied in St Helens South and Whiston constituency by month from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Claimants with an income support lone parent sanction applied 
			 2010  
			 January 20 
			 February 30 
			 March 20 
			 April 20 
			 May 30 
			 June 30 
			 July 30 
			 August 40 
			 September 20 
			 October 30 
			 November 20 
			 December 10 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 30 
			 February 30 
			 March 30 
			 April 30 
			 May 30 
			 June 20 
			 July 20 
			 August 20 
		
	
	
		
			 September 30 
			 October 40 
			 November 30 
			 December 10 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 20 
			 February 20 
			 March 20 
			 April 20 
			 May 20 
			 June 20 
			 July 30 
			 August — 
			 September 10 
			 October 10 
			 November 10 
			 December 10 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Values less than five are suppressed with a “—”. 2. The month is the month in which income support lone parent sanction was applied. This table includes data up to and including 31 December, which is the latest data available for income support lone parent sanctions. Source: ISLP Sanctions Official Statistics Database. 
		
	
	The number of claimants with a sanction applied is not readily available for employment and support allowance claimants.
	The sanctions regime for employment and support allowance claimants in the Work Related Activity Group changed from the beginning of December 2012. As a result of the changes to the regime, the Department reviewed its methodology for publishing employment and support allowance sanctions official statistics to ensure the publication remains relevant while also seeking to maintain a consistent time series.
	In comparing methodologies to produce statistics relating to the previous sanctions regime with the new regime, an error was discovered, leading to double counting of some sanctions. For this reason, departmental statisticians decided to suspend publication of employment and support allowance sanctions statistics based on the current method. Therefore the final set of official statistics relating to the previous sanctions regime, due for publication in February 2013, was cancelled.
	The Department is aiming to publish the first set of statistics for the new employment and support allowance sanctions regime by August 2013 alongside a revised historical series and a working paper explaining the differences between the methodologies. These statistics have been delayed from a May release to allow the new regime to bed in and to allow sufficient quality assurance of the new methodology.

State Retirement Pensions

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of implementing the recommendation in the Fifth Report of the Work and Pensions Committee, Session 2012-13, The Single-tier State Pension: Part 1 of the draft Pensions Bill, HC 1000, on providing transitional arrangements for 15 years with regard to derived benefits under the new single tier state pension.

Steve Webb: The Government has published its response to the Fifth Report of the Work and Pensions Committee, and this is available on GOV.uk. This response did not estimate the cost of implementing the recommendation made.
	There is no immediately apparent policy for extending derived entitlement to basic pension to individuals who reach state pension age after the implementation of single tier, as any continuation of this facility as it currently stands would essentially involve a continuation of the current system in tandem with the new system. Administratively this would be complex, and more importantly it would mean that the new system would not result in the clarity of outcome which is central to the reform package.
	At the same time, the Government notes the decreasing need for this facility in Great Britain. As the paper ‘State pension entitlement derived from a current or former spouse's or civil partner's National Insurance contributions’, published on GOV.uk, makes clear, women's state pension entitlements have consistently improved, and the significant majority of women reaching state pension age in GB can now expect to receive at least the equivalent of a full basic state pension in their own right.

Universal Credit

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the (a) forecasted and (b) actual spend of the universal credit budget was in 2012;
	(2)  what the (a) forecast and (b) actual expenditure of his Department on the universal credit was in 2012;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of whether his Department's budget for universal credit will be underspent in 2013-14; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 1053W, and on 15 May 2013, Official Report, column 329W.
	Of the £2 billion budget, spend in 2011-12 was 5%, and in 2012-13 16%. Plans continue to be developed to support the gradual roll-out from autumn 2013 within budget.

Work Capability Assessment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what specialist training is provided to Atos assessors making work capability assessments on understanding the needs of individuals with mental health disorders; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: All health care professionals receive training in mental health issues as part of their induction training. As part of their induction training they are required to read evidence based protocols on mental health conditions.
	In addition, all health care professionals are required to engage in a programme of continuing medical education which includes modules on mental health issues.
	All health care professionals are monitored to ensure that their work meets the required quality standards. If a problem is identified, the health care professional may be required to undertake tailored training, which may involve training in mental health issues if required.

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people died before their appeal against a work capability assessment conducted by Atos was heard in each year since 2010.

Mark Hoban: Decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) lie with the Department's decision makers who take into account the medical assessment reports from Atos and any other relevant information. Any appeals are therefore against the benefit entitlement decision taken by DWP rather than against the recommendation in a WCA.
	DWP does not hold the information requested. The Department only holds information on appeals once they have been heard by HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). Information on pending appeals is not collected by DWP.

Work Capability Assessment: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals against the outcome of work capability assessments carried out by Atos were made in (a) Warrington and (b) Warrington North constituency in each year since 2010; what the cost of those appeals to the public purse was; and what proportion of such appeals were successful.

Mark Hoban: Decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) lie with the Department's decision makers who take into account the medical assessment reports from Atos and any other relevant information. Any appeals are therefore against the benefit entitlement decision taken by DWP rather than against the recommendation in a WCA.
	The Department only holds information on appeals once they have been heard by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Information on pending appeals is not collected by DWP.
	The table shows the number of appeals that have been heard against Fit for Work outcomes at initial work capability assessments (WCAs) for new ESA claims that started between January 2010 and February 2012 (the latest data available) in the Warrington local authority area, by the year that the claim started. Data are available only for claims that began before the end of February 2012 due to the time required to arrange and complete assessments and go through the appeals process, as well as the time required to record and process data.
	
		
			 Appeals heard against Fit for Work outcomes at initial WCAs for new ESA claims that started between January 2010 and February 2012 in the Warrington local authority area 
			 Claim start date Number of Fit for Work outcomes Number of appeals heard Percentage of appeals successful 
			 January to December 2010 790 330 32 
			 January to December 2011 730 240 32 
			 January to February 2012 110 10 (1)— 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 1,630 580 32 
			 (1) Nil or negligible amount of cases. It would potentially be disclosive to provide any figures for these cases. Note: Rounding: All volumes are rounded to the nearest 10 and all percentages are rounded to the nearest percentage point. Source: Department for Work and Pensions benefit administration datasets. 
		
	
	The Department does not hold information on the cost of appeals to the public purse. Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal's Service may be able to provide data on the cost of an appeal.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Legal Costs

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on external legal advice from Queen's Counsel (a) between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 and (b) since 4 September 2012;
	(2)  how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on external legal advice (a) between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 and (b) since 4 September 2012.

Oliver Heald: Between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012, the Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSol) records indicate that they spent £48,807 on external legal fees. Since 4 September 2012, TSol spent £6,928 on external legal fees. For both these periods, this was not in the context of seeking legal advice, but for legal representation in respect of litigation.
	Between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012, the Attorney-General's office (AGO) have a recorded spend of £676,954 on external legal fees. Since 4 September 2012, the AGO spent £168,085 on external legal fees. It is not possible to ascertain whether this was for legal advice or for representation
	TSol has not instructed any QCs for its own legal advice and representation since 7 May 2010. The records are not kept in such a way as to make it possible to ascertain how many times the AGO has instructed QCs since 7 May 2010.
	The TSol and AGO figures do not include legal advice paid for by other Departments in the context of legal advice or representation by the AGO or TSol. It cannot be guaranteed that the TSol/AGO data are complete, particularly in respect of the older figures. There have been historic problems with record keeping in respect of the time and disbursements incurred for the AGO and TSol's own cases (which are not billed to other Departments). This was addressed and systems are now in place to ensure accurate recording in the future.
	The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) does not routinely distinguish between external legal advice and external litigation (legal representation) services when recording legal expenditure. SFO records show that expenditure incurred on all external legal services (a) between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 was £10,960,618 and (b) since 4 September 2012 was £3,725,889. SFO expenditure incurred on all external legal services from Queen's Counsel (a) between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 was £4,350,459 and (b) since 4 September 2012 was £1,313,769. Approximately 1% of the expenditure on external legal services between 2010 and 2012 relates to external legal advice.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spent £5,021,866 on external legal advice between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 and £2,051,436 between 5 September 2012 and 31 March 2013. CPS spent £781,809 on external legal advice specifically from Queen's Counsel between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 and £319,069 between 5 September 2012 and 31 March 2013.
	HMCPSI has not recorded any expenditure on external legal advice since 7 May 2010.

Personnel Management

Priti Patel: To ask the Attorney-General how many officials in the Law Officers' Departments were employed in human resources functions in each of the last five years; at what grades such staff were employed; and what the total cost of the Law Officers' Departments' human resources functions was.

Oliver Heald: The information requested is contained in the following tables:
	
		
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department 
			 Number and grades of officials employed in human resources and the annual cost of the HR function 
			  Senior Civil Service Grade 6 Grade 7 Senior Executive Officer Higher Executive Officer Executive Officer Admin. Officer Total Total cost of the HR Function (£)(1) 
			 2012-13 1 1 2 3 1 5 4 17 849,000 
			 2011-12 1 1 3 1 3 4 2 15 1,014,000 
			 2010-11 1 1 3 2 5 5 4 21 1,879,502 
			 2009-10 1 1 3 2 5 5 7 24 1,937,980 
			 2008-09 1 1 2 2 2 2 8 18 1,813,460 
			 (1) TSol data also includes the Attorney-General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate. For 2011-12 and 2012-13 the cost figures cover the HR Function provided as programme tracking for Next Generation HR which began l April 2011. For the other years the cost figures relate to the full allocated budget for the HR function including staff and non-staff costs. 
		
	
	
		
			 Crown Prosecution Service 
			 Number and grades of officials employed in human resources and the annual cost of the HR function 
			  Senior Civil Service Level E Level D Senior Executive Officer Higher Executive Officer Executive Officer Admin. Office/ Assistant Total Total cost of the HR Function(£)(1) 
			 2012-13 1 3 15 18 21 8 6 72 7,484,000 
			 2011-12 1 2 15 19 19 10 8 74 5,319,000 
			 2010-11 1 3 14 17 37 18 13 103 6,010,000 
			 2009-10 4 5 19 20 42 25 22 137 11,700,000 
			 2008-09 4 3 16 14 49 22 27 135 11,607,000 
			 (1)Years 2012-13 and 2011-12 reflect the Cabinet Office publication Common Areas of Spend and mirror the quarterly returns requested under the Civil Service HR programme. The figures for years 2010-11,2009-10 and 2008-09 reflect the definitions for HR resourcing of the Next Generation HR Resourcing Survey for these years. 
		
	
	
		
			 Serious Fraud Office 
			 Number and grades of officials employed in human resources and the annual cost of the HR function 
			  Senior Civil Service Grade 6 Grade 7 Senior Executive Officer Higher Executive Officer Executive Officer Admin. Officer Total Total cost of the HR function (£)(1) 
			 2012-13 1 — 1 — 1 2 2 7 429,000 
			 2011-12 1 — 1 — 2 1 3 8 451,000 
			 2010-11 — 1 1 — 1 3 2 8 568,000 
			 2009-10 — 1 1 1 — 4 2 9 705,000 
			 2008-09 — — 1 — 1 4 2 8 894,000 
			 (1) The cost of the HR function covers the total actual HR budget expenditure for those years, less costs associated with business specific learning, payroll, diversity and other business related costs. That includes total staff costs (payroll and non-payroll) as it is not possible to pro-rata those costs against the CSHR definitions.

PRIME MINISTER

Domestic Visits

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has visited (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity since May 2010.

David Cameron: I have placed a list of my official visits to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the Library of the House.
	I shall be attending the G8 summit in Lough Erne on 17-18 June.

Tax Avoidance

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1266W, on tax avoidance, whether he has received any replies to his letter of 20 May 2013 to the UK's Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories on tax information exchange and beneficial ownership; and what steps he plans to take if any of the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories do not make their policies on this issue clear publicly.

David Cameron: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1266W.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Domestic Visits

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nights (a) she and (b) the Minister of State for Northern Ireland has stayed overnight in Northern Ireland in an official capacity since 1 January 2012.

Theresa Villiers: Since taking up post on 4 September 2012, I have stayed overnight in Northern Ireland on 62 occasions in an official capacity, up to and including 12 June 2013. The Minister of State has stayed overnight on 40 occasions over the same period.

Hillsborough Castle

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many days Hillsborough Castle was open to the public in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013 to date.

Theresa Villiers: Hillsborough castle was open to the public on 12 days in 2010, 35 days in 2011 and 31 days in 2012. To date in 2013, it has been open on 19 days.

Patrick Finucane

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions she has had with the family of Patrick Finucane.

Theresa Villiers: I have not held any formal discussions with the family of Patrick Finucane. However, I did meet with some family members during the St Patrick's Day celebrations in Washington.

Public Expenditure

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was allocated to Northern Ireland in block grant in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and how much has been allocated for (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

Theresa Villiers: Details of the allocations to Northern Ireland in block grant for the years requested are provided in an Annex to the Northern Ireland Office Annual Report and Accounts for 2011-12 which have been laid in Parliament and published. Copies are available at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications

Public Expenditure

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department spent (a) in total and (b) under each category of expenditure in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and how much it plans to spend in (A) 2013-14 and (B) 2014-15.

Theresa Villiers: My Department's total spend, and the analysis of this expenditure by category for the years 2010-11 and 2011-12 can be found in the Annual Report and Accounts for each year which have been laid in Parliament and published. Copies are available at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications
	The required information for 2012-13 is not yet finalised as the draft Annual Report and Accounts are currently being audited. It is anticipated that this document will be laid in Parliament and published prior to the summer recess.
	My Department's spending plans for the current financial year are documented in the Department's Main Estimates which has been published and is available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/nio_mainsupplyestimates_201314.pdf
	As regards 2014-15, spending plans were originally agreed in the spending review 2010, details of which are available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spend_index.htm
	Adjustments have been made to the figures through subsequent spring budget announcements, and autumn statements.

WALES

Domestic Visits

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many nights (a) he and (b) other Ministers of his Department have stayed overnight in Wales in an official capacity since 1 January 2012.

David Jones: All current Wales Office Ministers live in Wales and frequently carry out official duties while there. Depending on the location and time of meetings there may be occasions which require Ministers to stay overnight in Wales away from home. Between 1 January and 4 September 2012, the previous Secretary of State for Wales stayed overnight as and when necessary. This was often to attend early morning meetings or where it was more practical to travel the evening before because of the distances involved.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Local Broadcasting: Radio

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many community radio licences are unallocated;
	(2)  if she will take steps to ensure that Ofcom use up unallocated community radio licences.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom is responsible for licensing community radio stations and it has advised there are no unallocated community radio licenses.

Local Broadcasting: Radio

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department gives to community radio stations.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has made available more than £400,000 a year to support the community radio sector through the Community Radio Fund. The majority of this funding is allocated to Ofcom to distribute as grants to licensed community radio services. In recent years we have also allocated funds to the Community Media Association to support its work in promoting best practice within the community media sector and encouraging self-sustainability.

Olympic Games 2012

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 26 March 2013, Official Report, column 1031W, on Olympic Games 2013, what the excluded categories under the Supplier Recognition Scheme are; and how many firms whose applications have been rejected there are in each such category.

Hugh Robertson: As at 22 May, 640 companies have successfully applied for a licence and 92 have had their application rejected on the basis that they fall within one of the excluded categories that are necessary to prevent the rights of the IOC sponsors being infringed. Notwithstanding the need for some exclusions, the new Recognition Scheme allows licensed suppliers greater freedom to promote their activities on 2012, than was permitted under the earlier LOCOG marketing protocol of 2007. This information is broken down in detail in the following table:
	
		
			 Exclusion Number of companies As a % of all companies rejected on the basis of their supply falling into an excluded category As a % of all companies who have submitted an application 
			 Information technology services and solutions 18 20 2.3 
			 Non-alcoholic beverages 1 1 0.1 
			 Chemicals, raw materials and compounds 13 14 1.7 
			 Industrial equipment and systems 33 36 4.3 
			 Ready to eat food and food service operations 11 12 1.4 
			 Beauty, grooming and health care products 2 2 0.3 
			 Audio, video and audio-visual equipment 7 8 0.9 
			 Wireless communications systems and equipment 6 7 0.8 
			 Consumer payment systems 1 1 0.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 92 — —

Press: Regulation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the circumstances in which the draft Royal Charter on press regulation published on 18 March 2013 would be subject to renegotiation prior to its sealing by Her Majesty in Council; whether she has received any indications from party leaders that such a renegotiation is likely to occur; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The cross-party agreement on a Royal Charter on 18 March will help deliver a new system of independent and robust press regulation in our country that will deliver for victims and meet the principles set out in Lord Justice Leveson's report. Cross-party discussions on the draft charter have not been reopened.

Tourism: Seas and Oceans

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to support marine tourism in the UK.

Hugh Robertson: Britain's beaches are important tourism assets, and feature in the marketing campaigns led by VisitEngland and VisitBritain, including the GREAT campaign. VisitEngland has also contributed to the work of the Environment Agency on issues such as bathing water quality and has been working with DEFRA and the Marine Management Organisation to include tourism and the visitor economy in the marine planning process. Recently, English Heritage has commissioned research into the impact of diver trails on the local economy, and we await the results with interest.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Children: Day Care

Lucy Powell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the average cost of setting up a new (a) childminding and (b) nursery business; and what proportion of such costs for (i) individual childminders and (ii) nursery businesses the Childcare Business grant scheme is expected to cover;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with Liberata regarding the criteria for distribution of the Childcare Business grant scheme; and whether she will place a copy of such criteria in the Library;
	(3)  for what reasons men have been excluded from applying to the Childcare Business grant scheme; and if she will reconsider this exclusion;
	(4)  how many Childcare Business grants have been allocated through the Childcare Business grant scheme to date; who has received each grant; what the value of each such grant is; and when each grant was distributed;
	(5)  if she will publish the tender process carried out by her Department for the management of the Childcare Business grant scheme; which other organisations tendered for this project; what criteria she used to award the bid; how much the tender process cost; what fee Liberata will receive for administering the scheme; and whether this cost is part of the £2 million allocated for the scheme.

Jo Swinson: From April 2013, grants of £250 have been available to help prospective childminders to set up new businesses. Their immediate costs will include mandatory courses in child care and paediatric first aid; clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service; obtaining insurance; and being inspected by Ofsted. The grants should cover these.
	Grants of £500 are available to childminders who intend to care for disabled children, and to people seeking to open new nurseries, in recognition of the additional costs they will face. The actual cost of setting up a child care business of any sort will vary significantly. We have made no assessment of the average cost.
	Details of the tender specification for the scheme, including the selection criteria applied, are already in the public domain at:
	http://bit.ly/ChBusGr
	and the contract with Liberata will be published shortly, in line with normal practice. I will arrange for copies of these to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Information relating to any other bidders is commercial in confidence. There were no costs involved in the tender process, beyond those associated with my officials' time.
	The value of the contract will depend on the number and nature of applications, but is expected to be slightly less than the £200,000 advertised for this purpose. This sum is in addition to the £2 million available in grants.
	Grants are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis, to those who meet the qualifying conditions. Men are not excluded from applying. The conditions are set out on the scheme's website, and I will arrange for a copy of the relevant guidance to be placed in the House Libraries. Applicants are given time to complete their training and secure the necessary Ofsted registration, thus encouraging genuinely new providers to come forward. £25,000 has been paid out in grants so far, and a further £125,000 has been committed. We do not intend to publish the details of every successful applicant.
	Regular updates on the volume of grants paid out will be made available on the scheme's website:
	www.childcarebusinessgrants.dcms.gov.uk

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

Hazel Blears: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps her Department is taking to implement the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 in its procurement procedures.

Maria Miller: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson) on 15 May 2013, Official Report, column 170W.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by the Government Equalities Office in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended.

Maria Miller: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson) on 20 May 2013, Official Report, columns 409-10W.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Animal Experiments

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on reducing the number of animals used in scientific procedures; what steps he is taking to reduce the number of animals used in such procedures; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: Ministers in this Department and the Home Office are in regular contact on a range of policy areas. As a key commitment in the Programme for Government, our Departments are collaborating closely to work to reduce the use of animals in scientific research.
	The use of animals in scientific research continues to play a vital part in developing improvements in health care and the environment. The UK has one of the most rigorous systems in the world to ensure that animal research and animal testing is only carried out where no practicable alternatives exist and under stringent controls where suffering must be kept to the minimum.
	This Government is committed to working to ensure that the opportunities presented by scientific advances are used to replace or reduce animal use wherever possible, and to refine procedures to minimise suffering. It is backed by strong regulation delivered through a stringent licensing regime operated by the Home Office.
	Together with the Home Office, we are working with The National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) and cross-Whitehall Departments to further develop the strategy to promote the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) to deliver the coalition commitment. We will provide an update on this work in due course.

Broadband

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the provision of broadband; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: I met with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), to discuss the provision of broadband in March. Broadband provision is crucial to our economic growth and DCMS is considering how best to encourage further supplier led broadband coverage in rural and remote areas in parallel with the rollout to the rest of the country. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is also working closely with DCMS on the Government's Information Economy Strategy, which we intend to publish shortly.

Business: Government Assistance

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the recommendations of Lord Young's report on Growing Your Business.

Michael Fallon: The Prime Minister announced on 5 June that Government will accept all recommendations in Lord Young's report ‘Growing Your Business’. Work has now begun to implement these recommendations including the extension of Start Up Loans, a Growth Voucher programme to test innovative approaches to small business support, the reform of public procurement to increase access for SMEs, and improved marketing of Government schemes through a new GREAT campaign targeted at new and developing small businesses.

Clothing: Bangladesh

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will give consideration to introducing a small additional levy on Bangladeshi garments sold in the UK, the proceeds from which would be put towards ensuring the future welfare of workers in the Bangladeshi garment industry.

Michael Fallon: Bangladesh benefits from the EU's “Everything but Arms” arrangement, which grants duty free, quota free access to EU markets for all their exports, except arms and ammunition.
	Removing duties positively contributes towards the competitiveness of Bangladesh exports, and adding a levy on exports could therefore have a detrimental effect on the garment sector. Given the sector's importance to the Bangladesh economy, the creation of jobs and subsequent poverty reduction, and to the position of women, who make up approximately 80% of the workforce, we do not want to reduce the advantages brought by this removal of duties.
	Instead, the UK is committing funding towards initiatives that see buyers, manufacturers, workers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Government of Bangladesh all work together to agree a set of common compliance standards, bringing accountability to the supply chain, health and safety to workers, and robustly enforced construction standards to the buildings in which they work.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: EU Grants and Loans

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 17 April 2013, Official Report, column 489W, on EU grants and loans, how much EU structural funding will be allocated to each local enterprise partnership (LEP) in England for 2014 to 2020; and how much such funding would have been allocated to (a) England and (b) each LEP in England if the EU formula for the allocation of funds had been implemented.

Michael Fallon: As set out in my response of 17 April, and 26 March 2013, the Government announced the indicative Structural Funds allocation across the UK. All these figures remain indicative and will be confirmed only after agreement between Heads of State and Government and the European Parliament on the EU budget 2014-20.
	According to our estimates England will receive €6.174 billion, Scotland €795 million, Wales €2.145 billion and Northern Ireland €457 million. Compared to the 2007-13 UK allocation, this represents a 5% cut for England and each of the devolved Administrations. Provisional allocations to LEPs will be announced shortly.
	If the EU formula had been applied, the devolved Administrations would together have a significant cut in funding, in total 27%. The Government did not believe that this would have been fair.
	The EU formula is only used to determine a member state's national allocation for the three categories of region—less developed, transition and more developed. The European Commission will confirm the UK's allocation to these three categories once the regulations are agreed but will not provide a regional or LEP breakdown.
	The UK may also receive additional funding of approximately 200 million euros to tackle youth unemployment in regions where this is above 25% in 2012. Eurostat figures have now been published and those regions in England in 2012 with youth unemployment above 25% are Tees Valley and Durham, West Midlands, Inner London and Merseyside. When the regulations that underpin this initiative are confirmed, the Government will confirm the allocations to the relevant LEPs.

Music: Copyright

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has made to his (a) European and (b) US counterparts concerning the resolution of any music copyright disputes as part of any Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the EU and the US.

Jo Swinson: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a proposed free trade area between US and the European Union. The Commission acts on behalf of member states.
	The responsibility for taking forward any dispute within this forum lies with the European Commission.
	Officials are engaged regularly, with both US and EU counterparts, in discussions about the issues, including IP issues, to be raised in the context of the Partnership.

Printing Machinery

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effects on businesses of the development of 3D printers.

Michael Fallon: As a high value manufacturing economy, the UK has a great deal to gain from increased 3D printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) penetration. There are opportunities for technology adoption in key sectors such as aerospace, medical devices and implants, power generation, automotive and the creative industries, with some companies already engaged in technology assessment and small scale use. There are also domestic and export opportunities for companies engaged in the 3D/printingAM machine tool, materials and enabling software markets.
	The UK is one of the world's leading sources of 3D printing/AM related knowledge and research activity, along with Germany and the USA. The UK has the potential to build a strong 3D printing/AM supply chain with the presence of enabling software, materials providers developing innovative product offerings and world class product designers with a strong interest in 3D printing/AM.
	Following publication in September 2012 of the Additive Manufacturing Special Interest Group report 'Shaping our national competency in additive manufacturing':
	https://connect.innovateuk.Org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=3e6091f6-6874-4dc5-80ea-d565249cce45& groupId=47343
	the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) developed a £7 million competition for innovation funding, “New Design Freedoms in Additive Layer Manufacturing”. The competition was aimed at accelerating the commercial adoption of 3D Printing/AM technologies across a wide range of industry sectors from jet engines to jewellery and from medical implants to personalised confectionary.
	The results of this competition were announced on 6 June 2013. The competition delivered a field of submissions that was among the highest quality it had ever seen, prompting TSB to increase its funding by 50%. Along with co-funding from three Research Councils amounting to £800,000, over £9 million grant funding has been offered to 18 projects with a total value of nearly £15 million.

Public Houses

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to support pubs.

Vincent Cable: We are currently consulting on proposals to introduce a statutory code of practice and adjudicator for the pubs sector. The consultation closes on 14 June.

Royal Mail

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his plans are for the future of Royal Mail.

Michael Fallon: Parliament decided, via the Postal Services Act 2011, to allow Royal Mail to have future access to private capital in order to secure the universal postal service. We have already relieved Royal Mail of its historic pension deficit and established a new regulatory regime.
	Our firm intention is to give Royal Mail future access to private capital through a sale of shares this financial year. As part of this sale the Government will honour the commitment that Parliament made in 2011 that at least 10% of shares should be reserved for employees.

Street Trading

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when his Department last reviewed the law relating to the issue of pedlars' licences.

Jo Swinson: The law relating to the issue of pedlars' licenses was reviewed in 2009 and again in 2012, in both cases in the context of ensuring compliance with the European Services Directive. A public consultation was held on both occasions. The 2012 consultation closed on 5 April 2013 and the responses are currently being analysed.

Teachers: Further Education

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what strategies he plans to put in place to attract, retain and upskill the further education teaching workforce.

David Willetts: The Government set out its long-term strategy for the future of the further education (FE) teaching work force in ‘New Challenges, New Chances’ (December 2011). In that we confirmed we would take action to develop and promote excellent teaching. Since then, an independent Commission into Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning and a Review of Teacher Professionalism have both been undertaken and reported. Their recommendations have been endorsed by Government and a range of action is in hand. This includes specific measures focused on the recruitment and retention of skilled FE teachers and a fuller announcement on this will be made in the near future.

Unemployed: Travel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the benefit to businesses of local authorities providing free transport to 16 to 24 year olds not in education, employment or training.

David Willetts: Support for this age group is not the sole responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
	BIS has not carried out any such assessment as it is for individual local authorities to assess and introduce relevant approaches to aid those not in education, employment or training.
	For 16 to 19-year-olds, local authorities have a duty to publish an annual transport policy statement which sets out the travel arrangements they will make to support young people access further education. Provision is at the local authority's discretion, although this can include free or subsidised travel where appropriate. This duty recognises that supporting young people through subsidised transport costs can give them better access to the courses and institutions of their choice, meaning that they could be less likely to become disengaged and more likely to leave with the qualifications and employability skills sought by businesses.
	Free or subsidised travel for unemployed young people could also offer employers access to a wider field of candidates, across a wider geographical area. This benefit might be felt more greatly in rural areas, where young people often have to travel significant distances to find and attend work and businesses can struggle to find suitable candidates for their vacancies.
	The Government funds a range of support for young people in learning. The Department for Education's 16-19 Bursary Fund can be used by education and training providers to help students with travel costs. The Discretionary Learner Support allowance given to colleges by BIS via the Skills Funding Agency can, at the college's discretion, also be used to support students over the age of 19 with transport costs.
	In addition, those aged 18 to 24 and claiming jobseeker’s allowance for more than three but less than nine months are eligible for up to a 50% reduction in train fares and free travel with several major bus companies, providing they have a Jobcentre Plus Travel card.
	The positive impacts on business of the provision of such funds should be taken into account by each LA or institution when selecting the support they provide.

Vocational Training

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills who the successful bidders were for Round 1 of the employer ownership pilots, by English administrative region.

David Willetts: There were 37 successful bids for round 1 of the employer ownership pilots. These are divided by region as follows:
	Nationwide
	PWC
	Timpson
	Aria Foods UK
	Whitbread Group
	Daylight Ltd
	Energie Group
	Laing O'Rourke
	Midland Co-operative Society
	Rolls-Royce plc on behalf of LEEAC
	Construction Industry Training Board
	Doosan Power Systems
	Livery Companies Apprenticeship Scheme
	Channel 4/BBC
	North East
	Sembcorp
	Nissan Manufacturing (UK) Ltd
	Jacobs E&C Ltd
	AkzoNobel
	North West
	Man Diesel Turbo
	Contact Company
	Manchester Airport
	BAE Systems plc
	Yorkshire and Humber
	Textile Centre of Excellence
	British Glass
	Fabricom Oil Gas and Power Ltd
	West Midlands
	Heart of England Attractions Ltd
	DENSO Manufacturing UK Ltd
	East Midlands
	Goodwin International
	East of England
	A J Woods Engineering
	Berforts
	Greater London
	Fix Auto Dagenham
	Agilisys
	South East
	Denne Construction Ltd
	Siemens plc
	South West
	Langdon Industries Ltd
	GE Aviation
	Spiral Construction
	Cascade Drinks (subsequently withdrew from grant negotiations).

Vocational Training

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many bids were received for Round 2 of the employer ownership pilots, by English administrative region.

David Willetts: 315 bids were received requesting £1.5 billion in EOP funding and offering £2.4 billion in total employer investment.
	There is a good geographical and sectoral distribution of applications. Half of all projects have nationwide coverage.
	As bids are still being appraised the information available is limited to the areas of activity as declared by applicants.
	
		
			 Projects 
			 Regional breakdown Number 
			 Greater London 56 
			 Nationwide (ie England) 150 
			 North West 53 
			 South West 44 
			 West Midlands 55 
			 East Midlands 41 
			 East of England 33 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 34 
			 South East 55 
			 North East 38 
		
	
	It is important to note that some bids might have registered activity in more than one region so the total above is greater than 315.

World Environment Day

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department took to mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2013.

Michael Fallon: The Department of Business Innovation and Skills did not formally mark World Environment Day. The Department did however organise a number of activities throughout Climate Week from 4 to 8 March to raise awareness among staff of climate and related issues.